Nigeria’s political temperature just got hotter as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar launched a fiery attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over reports of a fresh $1.25 billion loan request from the World Bank, describing the administration’s borrowing pattern as nothing short of “economic vandalism.”
The latest drama erupted after reports surfaced that the Federal Government is currently in talks with the World Bank for another massive financial package, a move that has sparked heated reactions from Nigerians already battling inflation, hardship, and rising living costs.
Speaking through his spokesperson, Olusola Sanni, Atiku did not hold back as he questioned the direction of the current administration, warning that Nigeria’s debt profile is spiraling dangerously out of control.
According to the former presidential candidate, if approved, the fresh loan would place Nigeria among countries with one of the largest recent borrowing records under the Tinubu administration — a situation he says should deeply worry every Nigerian.
Atiku accused the government of turning borrowing into a habit while ordinary citizens continue to struggle daily with poor infrastructure, unstable electricity, rising hunger, and collapsing businesses.
In a strongly worded statement, he criticized what he described as an endless cycle of debt with little visible impact on the lives of citizens.
He argued that Nigerians were promised economic revival, improved infrastructure, and stable power supply through previous loans, but instead, many citizens are still grappling with darkness, bad roads, skyrocketing energy costs, and worsening economic hardship.
The opposition heavyweight further called on international lenders, especially the World Bank, to exercise stricter caution before approving more facilities, stressing the need for accountability and transparency in how such funds are managed.
Atiku also challenged the Tinubu-led government to publicly disclose the full details of all loans obtained since assuming office — including the conditions attached, how the money has been spent, project implementation status, and measurable results achieved so far.
As expected, the comments have ignited another round of political debate, with many Nigerians divided over whether fresh borrowing is necessary for economic survival or whether the country is sinking deeper into a debt crisis.
One thing is certain — the battle over Nigeria’s finances is far from over, and this latest clash between Atiku and Tinubu is already setting social media on fire.
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