By Our Correspondent

National News – The African Democratic Congress has criticised the Federal Government over its celebration of Nigeria’s reported Gross Domestic Product growth, saying the figures do not reflect the economic hardship Nigerians are facing daily.

The opposition party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the government of focusing on statistics while citizens struggle with rising food prices, unemployment, and weak purchasing power.

The ADC stated on Wednesday that many Nigerians could not feel the impact of the reported economic growth despite official claims that the economy expanded significantly in 2025.

According to the party, economic growth should improve living standards, create jobs, and reduce poverty rather than exist only in official reports.

The criticism followed a report by Quartus Economics, which revealed that Nigeria’s dollar GDP rose by 22 per cent to about $307bn in 2025.

The report attributed the increase to stronger economic output and appreciation of the naira. Nigeria’s nominal GDP reportedly climbed from N372.8tn in 2024 to N441.5tn in 2025.

However, the ADC argued that worsening inflation, expensive transportation, and the collapse of small businesses show that citizens are still under severe economic pressure.

The party stressed that food inflation continues to affect households, while many young Nigerians remain unemployed or underemployed.

The opposition party further maintained that governance should focus on improving living conditions rather than promoting economic data.

It questioned what Nigerians should celebrate amid rising living costs triggered by subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms introduced by the Federal Government.

According to the ADC, meaningful economic growth must translate into affordable food, stable electricity, lower business costs, and improved purchasing power for ordinary citizens across the country.