‘The Case Against Helping the Poor’

In Nigeria, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is making a concerted effort to challenge incumbent President Bola Tinubu, even as he faces the possibility of his final bid for Aso Rock in the 2027 general election. Atiku has been known to use every possible resource at his disposal, including legal teams from the United States, to investigate Tinubu and seek disqualification.

He has also been vocal about his criticisms of the administration's handling of fuel subsidies, which he argues has caused hardship for ordinary Nigerians despite the government's increased foreign borrowing.

Demographer Tanimu Yakubu, who served as Chief Economic Adviser to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, has published a paper entitled 'Demography, Destiny and Disorder: A Malthusian-Ricardian Reply to Nigeria's Population Question'. In the paper, he highlights a striking demographic contrast between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. While Nigeria's population grew from 45,053,782 in 1960 to 232,679,478 in 2024, the UK's population remained relatively stable at around 69 million.

Similarly, while Nigeria's GDP per capita was US$93.14 in 1960, it had risen to US$1,084.16 by 2024, while the UK's GDP per capita had grown to US$53,246.37.

Yakubu argues that Nigeria's population growth is outpacing its productivity, leading to economic pressure and social breakdown. He warns that when population growth exceeds the productive base, nature and society impose harsh corrections, such as hunger, disease, violence, migration, crowding, criminality, and social breakdown. These issues are evident in Nigeria today, including increased violence related to food security, kidnappings for ransom, and insecurity that impacts access to food and other necessities.