Nigerians Are Starving, We’ve Never Been This Bad Since 1960 — Alkasum Abba Criticises GDP Figures

By Diafa Doubra,

Renowned historian and public commentator, Professor Alkasum Abba, has painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s current economic situation, saying the country has never experienced such widespread poverty and hunger since independence in 1960.

Speaking during a recent interview, Prof. Abba dismissed official claims of economic growth and rising GDP as “meaningless statistics” that fail to reflect the harsh realities faced by ordinary Nigerians. According to him, millions of citizens are struggling to afford food, rent, and basic necessities despite government assurances of economic progress.

“The government keeps boasting about GDP growth, but people can’t eat GDP,” Abba said. “Families are skipping meals, children are dropping out of school, and unemployment is rising. This is not progress — it’s suffering.”

He attributed the worsening hardship to poor governance, corruption, and misplaced priorities among political leaders, accusing them of being out of touch with the suffering masses. The scholar also warned that continued neglect of the poor could lead to social unrest if urgent measures are not taken to reduce hunger and unemployment.

Abba urged the government to focus on policies that directly impact citizens’ welfare — such as food security, affordable healthcare, and job creation — instead of relying on economic figures that do not mirror life on the streets.

“The reality,” he concluded, “is that Nigerians are starving, and that truth is louder than any official data.”