Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu's economic policies following the release of new figures by the Debt Management Office (DMO). According to the DMO, Nigeria's total public debt profile climbed to N166.79 trillion by the end of June 2026.

In a statement issued on Monday through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the administration's financial record as a serious indictment of its economic management. He highlighted the severe economic hardship currently facing ordinary citizens, noting that families across the country are finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic essentials such as food, fuel, and electricity, even as the national debt continues to rise.

Highlighting the scale of the borrowing, Atiku pointed out that if the country's entire public debt were distributed evenly among the population, every individual would effectively owe N716,822. This represents an 87 percent increase compared to three years ago, when the individual share stood at N383,442.

Concluding his critique, Atiku asserted that the current administration's approach to governance has made the present difficult for citizens while leaving the nation's future increasingly uncertain. This political friction comes as reports indicate the federal government is pursuing an additional N1.5 trillion loan from the World Bank.