Minister Raises Alarm Over False Social Media Portrayal of Nigeria

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has cautioned that social media narratives are distorting public perception of Nigeria’s progress, often comparing the country unfairly with advanced economies without considering its unique developmental challenges.

Bagudu raised the concern in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), led by its Representative and Regional Director, Mr Philbert Johnson. His remarks were contained in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs Julie Osagie-Jacobs.

The minister noted that overreliance on social media has clouded understanding of Nigeria’s economic journey, stressing the need to build awareness around the complexities of production, subsidies, and developmental stages. He urged stakeholders across sectors to contribute to the new National Development Plan (NDP 2026–2030), which is currently under review as the existing NDP 2021–2025 winds down.

“Industrialisation remains a central pillar of this process because it offers the pathway to higher-quality jobs, inclusive prosperity, and stronger global competitiveness,” Bagudu said. He, however, criticised the global economic system for creating barriers to Africa’s industrial growth, noting that stronger economies often crowd out developing nations.

Bagudu called on UNIDO to play a more active role in addressing these imbalances, stressing that Nigeria and other African nations need partners that can help design alternative pathways for industrial development despite protectionist global policies.

In response, Johnson praised Nigeria’s commitment to industrialisation, confirming that UNIDO had signed a Programme for Country Partnership with the country six months earlier. He explained that the next step would be to establish a National Coordinating Body to guide its implementation, while reaffirming UNIDO’s support for renewable energy, circular economy projects, and small-scale industry development.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics reported that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.23 per cent year-on-year in real terms in the second quarter of 2025, compared with 3.48 per cent in the same period of 2024. The bureau said the rebased GDP, using 2019 as the base year, allowed better tracking of sectoral performance.

However, labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, questioned the credibility of the figures, arguing that they do not reflect the worsening living conditions of workers and households.