Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has condemned the President Bola Tinubu administration’s economic policies.
He accused the government of repeating historical mistakes influenced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Falana urged Nigerians to mobilize and demand tangible democratic benefits from their leaders.
In a recent interview, Falana argued that the government’s approach consistently benefits the political elite at the expense of the general populace.
He pointed out that since the 1986 Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), Nigeria has been caught in a cycle of failed reforms, which he says are merely repackaged with new names to deceive the public.
According to him, the promised “future boom” never materializes for ordinary citizens. Falana specifically criticized the government’s simultaneous policies of devaluing the naira, removing subsidies, and increasing the salaries of politicians.
He described this combination as both “reckless” and “provocative.” The senior lawyer also questioned the legality of implementing the expired 2024 budget while new projects for 2025 are underway.
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He also highlighted the underfunding of critical social welfare laws, such as the National Social Investment Programme Act and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, despite the increased statutory allocations to all tiers of government following the removal of fuel subsidies.
Falana called on the government to take steps to strengthen the naira, halt illegal dollar transactions within the country, and consider joining the BRICS economic bloc to lessen its dependence on the US dollar.
He also warned against the premature start of political campaigns for the 2027 general elections, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce the Electoral Act and ensure governance is not sacrificed for politics.
