IN PRAISE OF ATIKU
ABDULLAHI MATO UMARU contends that the ADC Presidential candidate is committed to a restructured and economically modernised Nigeria For more than three decades, Atiku Abubakar has been a fixture of Nigerian
For over three decades, Atiku Abubakar has been a prominent figure in Nigerian public life, serving as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 and making multiple presidential bids since then. His tenure as Vice President coincided with a period of aggressive economic reform aimed at restructuring and modernizing Nigeria's economy. As the Chairman of the National Economic Council, Atiku played a crucial role in implementing policies such as telecoms liberalization, banking consolidation and privatization, and debt relief.
These reforms led to significant changes in Nigeria's telecommunications sector, with mobile phone penetration rising from less than 1% to over 200 million lines, and the banking sector becoming stronger and more stable. The reforms also resulted in the privatization of over 100 state-owned enterprises and helped Nigeria exit debt relief in the form of a Paris Club deal in 2006.
Atiku's economic ideas have been credited with helping Nigeria transition from a closed, oil-dependent, debt-ridden state to a more open, market-driven economy. His legacy includes the liberalization of Nigeria's telecommunications sector, which has had a profound impact on connecting ordinary Nigerians to the modern economy. Today, as Nigeria faces challenges such as runaway inflation, unemployment, and the need for diversification, the debate surrounding Atiku's reforms remains relevant.
His commitment to fiscal federalism, economic liberalization, and educational investment continues to shape the discourse on Nigeria's economic future.
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