By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Former federal lawmaker that represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani has raised a grave alarm over Nigeria’s worsening poverty crisis following a report by global consulting firm PwC which projects that about 141 million Nigerians are expected to be living below the poverty line.
Reacting to the report, Sani described the figures as deeply disturbing, noting that the number represents more than half of the country’s population, and signals a dangerous social and economic trajectory for the nation.
The former lawmaker who took to his X handle to respond to the report on Friday, expressed concern over what he called a bitter irony: that the alarming poverty projection is emerging at a time when state governments and local government councils are receiving more financial allocations than at any point in Nigeria’s history.
According to him, the widening gap between increased public revenue at the subnational level and the rising poverty among citizens raises serious questions about governance, accountability, and the effective use of public funds.
Sani warned that the situation constitutes a “time bomb” capable of triggering a nationwide social uprising if urgent and deliberate measures are not taken to address the growing economic hardship faced by millions of Nigerians.
He stressed that tackling poverty must go beyond rhetoric, calling for transparent deployment of resources, people-centered policies, and targeted social interventions to prevent social instability and restore hope among the population.
Precise Post recalls that the PwC report has further intensified national debate on poverty, fiscal responsibility, and the need for structural reforms as Nigerians grapple with rising living costs, unemployment, and declining purchasing power across the country.
