₦airaland Forum

A firm, C and L Smart Energy Solutions, has submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PI-CNG) seeking detailed records on financial allocations and kit distribution under the government’s clean energy transition programme.

The request also demanded urgent access to critical information regarding the operations and financial transparency of the initiative. The FOI request, which was addressed to the Director of Programmes at the PCNGI Secretariat, is in line with Sections 1, 2, and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

The company is seeking the release of detailed documents relating to distributing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) kits, including names, dates, locations, and quantities distributed to conversion centres.

Additionally, the firm is asking for the release of approval lists for the centres, the criteria for approval since 2023, and records of any infractions, disciplinary actions, and third-party escalations, such as referrals to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Also included in the FOI request are the official grievance and redress procedures for the PI-CNG programme and detailed financial reports outlining the budgeted versus disbursed funds under the CNG subsidy programme.
The organisation argued that full transparency is essential to maintain public trust in the energy transition process, to ensure fairness among independent operators, and to prevent any potential misuse of public funds.

In accordance with the FOI Act, public institutions are required to respond within seven days of receiving an FOI request or provide a valid legal reason for refusal. Failure to comply can result in legal and regulatory action.

DomPerignon:
Heavy duty haulage are the ones keying into it and it has saved them huge amounts in fuel costs which has stabilized freight costs to a larger degree.

I don't see most transport companies keying into it and that's why you are not seeing a direct reduction in cost of transport fare.

The logistics hindering this is because outside Lagos, there are no intra state public owned transport companies like Lagos BRT.

Inter state transport companies are not keying into it probably because the service stations are inadequate and sparsely distributed across the country making it not feasible to them when they require refilling midway through their trips.

Other than trucking companies and personal car owners , the project isn't being embraced for several reasons as mentioned above including the cost of conversion.

So the question to ask and answer is simple..... Why distribute another set of 70,000 kits if the distribution of 40,000 kits have not yielded any result. Why scale up wastage. What vested interest is being advanced.

A rising wave of concern is building around the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGI) as industry stakeholders and public accountability advocates begin to question the logic—and outcomes—of Nigeria’s most expensive clean energy reform effort to date.

According to PI-CNG’s own data, over ₦49 billion has been spent distributing 40,000 CNG kits, with a stated objective of reducing transportation costs for the Nigerian people. Each kit, by the program’s own budget, costs roughly ₦1.2 million to deliver.

But a simple question lingers:
Has the cost of public transport changed by even a single kobo?
If ₦49 billion cannot reduce the cost of commuting for Nigerians, then what is the economic—or moral—justification for the new push to distribute 70,000 more kits at a projected cost of ₦70 billion?

This has sparked the launch of the #WhoIsWatchingPICNG campaign—a national call for transparency, impact measurement, and a halt to what many now view as a billion-naira black hole masked as reform.
“We wonder,” says one campaign message, “who really benefits from this waste.”

Freedom of Information in Motion: Firm Files Formal Transparency Request Against PI-CNG

In a decisive move to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s clean energy transition, C & L Smart Energy Solutions has formally filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request against the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PI-CNG).

The request, filed on Friday, 25th April 2025, and addressed to the Director of Program at the PCNGI Secretariat, was submitted pursuant to Sections 1, 2, and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

It seeks urgent access to critical data relating to:

✅ Distribution records of CNG kits to conversion centers (names, dates, locations, quantities)
✅ Approved lists of centers and approval criteria since 2023
✅ Records of infractions, disciplinary actions, and third-party escalations (e.g., EFCC referrals)
✅ Official grievance and redress procedures
✅ Financial reports on budgeted versus disbursed funds under the CNG subsidy program

C & L Smart Energy asserts that full transparency is necessary to safeguard public confidence, promote fairness among independent operators, and prevent the abuse of public resources within the national CNG rollout.

According to the FOI Act, public institutions must respond within 7 days of receipt of the request—or provide a legally justifiable reason for refusal—failing which the matter can escalate to legal and regulatory enforcement.

This landmark request directly tests the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of Nigeria’s energy future.

C & L Smart Energy calls on all stakeholders, media houses, civil society organizations, and independent operators to demand full disclosure and to defend the public interest in ensuring that the PI-CNG initiative serves Nigerians fairly and transparently.

*Freedom of Information in Motion: C & L Smart Energy Files Formal Transparency Request Against PI-CNG
*Abuja, Nigeria — 25th April 2025

In a decisive move to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s clean energy transition, C & L Smart Energy Solutions has formally filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request against the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGI).

The request, filed on Friday, 25th April 2025, and addressed to the Director of Program at the PCNGI Secretariat, was submitted pursuant to Sections 1, 2, and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.
It seeks urgent access to critical data relating to:

✅ Distribution records of CNG kits to conversion centers (names, dates, locations, quantities)
✅ Approved lists of centers and approval criteria since 2023
✅ Records of infractions, disciplinary actions, and third-party escalations (e.g., EFCC referrals)
✅ Official grievance and redress procedures
✅ Financial reports on budgeted versus disbursed funds under the CNG subsidy program

C & L Smart Energy asserts that full transparency is necessary to safeguard public confidence, promote fairness among independent operators, and prevent the abuse of public resources within the national CNG rollout.

According to the FOI Act, public institutions must respond within 7 days of receipt of the request—or provide a legally justifiable reason for refusal—failing which the matter can escalate to legal and regulatory enforcement.

This landmark request directly tests the Tinubu's government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of Nigeria’s energy future.

C & L Smart Energy calls on all stakeholders, media houses, civil society organizations, and independent operators to demand full disclosure and to defend the public interest in ensuring that the PI-CNG initiative serves Nigerians fairly and transparently.

#WhoIsWatchingPICNG
#FOIActNigeria
#TransparencyNow
#AccountabilityMatters
#SaveOurCNGFuture

There’s an open sore at PCNGI.
Everyone sees it.
Everyone smells it.

But leadership pretends it’s not there.

Instead of cleaning the wound, they hide it under fine speeches.
Instead of treating the infection, they mask it with announcements.
Instead of admitting the rot, they attack the ones pointing it out.

But here’s the truth:

You cannot spray perfume on decay.
You cannot manage a crisis you refuse to confront.

Every day the black market grows.
Every day stolen kits move further underground.
Every day the true builders of the CNG industry lose faith.

And every day PCNGI’s credibility dies a little more.

A sore ignored does not heal.
It spreads.
It devours.
It exposes.

When the reckoning comes—and it will—
There will be no confusion about where the infection started,
or who stood by and watched it destroy everything.

Fix it now.
Or history will write that you presided not over a revolution—but over a slow, avoidable collapse.

The clock is ticking.
The sore is open.
And this time, it won’t be hidden.

Abuja, Nigeria — 25th April 2025

In a decisive move to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s clean energy transition, C & L Smart Energy Solutions has formally filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request against the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PI-CNG).

The request, filed on Friday, 25th April 2025, and addressed to the Director of Program at the PCNGI Secretariat, was submitted pursuant to Sections 1, 2, and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

It seeks urgent access to critical data relating to:

✅ Distribution records of CNG kits to conversion centers (names, dates, locations, quantities)
✅ Approved lists of centers and approval criteria since 2023
✅ Records of infractions, disciplinary actions, and third-party escalations (e.g., EFCC referrals)
✅ Official grievance and redress procedures
✅ Financial reports on budgeted versus disbursed funds under the CNG subsidy program

C & L Smart Energy asserts that full transparency is necessary to safeguard public confidence, promote fairness among independent operators, and prevent the abuse of public resources within the national CNG rollout.

According to the FOI Act, public institutions must respond within 7 days of receipt of the request—or provide a legally justifiable reason for refusal—failing which the matter can escalate to legal and regulatory enforcement.

This landmark request directly tests the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of Nigeria’s energy future.

C & L Smart Energy calls on all stakeholders, media houses, civil society organizations, and independent operators to demand full disclosure and to defend the public interest in ensuring that the PI-CNG initiative serves Nigerians fairly and transparently.

For further inquiries, please contact:
08098887837 Whatsapp Calls Only.

#WhoIsWatchingPICNG
#FOIActNigeria
#TransparencyNow
#AccountabilityMatters
#SaveOurCNGFuture

What’s new is the attempt to turn anger into ideology—to substitute volume for vision.

But after all the marching, tweeting, and shouting, someone still has to govern.

So, Mr. Take It Back…
If we hand it to you today, what exactly will you do with it tomorrow?

Because let’s be honest:
A man holding only a matchstick shouldn’t be the one promising to build a mansion.

There’s a special class of Nigerian politician who has mastered the art of perpetual rebellion—a man whose only known political posture is to oppose everything and propose nothing, to burn the house down without a single blueprint for how to rebuild it.
In this category, Omoyele Sowore reigns supreme.
He wants to take it back, yes. He even trademarked the slogan. But the question Nigerians must now ask is:
Take what back… and then do what with it?
Because when your entire political identity is “anti-everything”, you eventually run out of villains—and become the confusion you claim to fight.
The Protester Who Refuses to Grow Up
Sowore is not a novice. He’s been around.
He was in the trenches when real dictatorship ruled. He made sacrifices. He earned his scars. But like the child who refuses to come inside even after the rain has stopped, Sowore is stuck in protest mode.
He has no real economic plan. No governance roadmap. No coalition strategy.
Just a megaphone, a camera, and a vague call to action that ends with, “They have failed us!”
Fine. They’ve failed us. Now what’s your plan?
Silence.
The truth is, governance is not an Instagram live. It’s not a daily press conference or a trip to the EFCC gate.
It’s boring, detailed, and difficult. It involves meetings, compromises, institutional building—none of which fit neatly into Sowore’s activist playlist.

Perpetual Protest is Not a Political Ideology
You cannot run a country on “I told you so.”
You cannot build a state with hashtags and hunger strikes.
And you certainly cannot inspire confidence by turning every national issue into an opportunity for self-promotion.
Governance is not just anti-government.
Real leadership is about solving problems, not just identifying them louder than everyone else.
Imagine putting Sowore in Aso Rock—on Day One, he’ll organize a protest against himself.

There’s a time to protest, and there’s a time to legislate.
A time to shout in the streets, and a time to negotiate in chambers.
But confusion sets in when one person tries to do both—at the same time, in the same seat.

Enter Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the charismatic, camera-ready senator from Kogi Central. A woman of presence. Of performance. Of passion.
But also, perhaps, of prolonged confusion about what her current job truly is.

You Cannot Be Both the Government and the Opposition
Let’s be clear: Activism has its place. It opens eyes, stirs emotions, and forces dormant issues into national conversation. It is often the spark that begins the fire.

But legislation? That’s not spark—it’s structure.
It’s not protest—it’s process.
It’s not about being loud—it’s about being effective.

You cannot sit in the red chambers by day, holding the Constitution in one hand and your senatorial ID in the other—only to switch costumes by night and start chanting protest slogans like you’re still in Unity Fountain.

As we say, “The same mouth that blows the flute cannot shout war cries.”
Pick one, madam.

Institutions Are Not Personalities
There are institutions designed a particular way—and individuals wired in particular ways.
Trouble starts when someone believes they can mould an institution in their own image, rather than submit their image to the demands of the institution.

Ask Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
He was once a central banker with a megaphone. Later, he became an emir who never stopped sounding like a public intellectual.
He couldn't pick between the throne and the podium.
Eventually, the institution picked for him—and he was dethroned.

Why?
Because you cannot wear a crown and carry a placard.
You must choose one.

What the Senate Requires Is Not a Struggle, But Strategy
To be a senator is not to be a protester-in-chief.
It is to be a legislator. That role demands:

Strategy, not slogans

Compromise, not confrontation

Structure, not sentiment

That’s how laws are made. That’s how budgets are passed. That’s how policy is reformed.
If your method is protest, go back to the square. If you want to stay in chambers, then learn the rhythm of governance.

You don’t disrupt institutions by mimicking chaos—you reform them by understanding how to move the gears quietly but effectively.

Choose Your Role or Be Consumed by the Conflict
If Natasha wishes to remain a senator, she must grow into the office.
The Senate is not an Instagram story. It is not a movement. It is not a trending hashtag. It is an institution—slow, structured, and built for stability, not drama.

Activism wins attention. Governance wins results.
And those who confuse the two will end up being rejected by both.

As we say, “You cannot lead the dance and still hold the drum.”
Pick your rhythm. And stick to it.

PDPdestroyer:
I believe LP will win the 2027 elections, Obi should not be distracted by forming any nonsense alliance with the structures of criminality in PDP
Atiku will share votes with Tinubu and play a spoiler role like Obi did in 2023. All Obi needs is to win 100% SE votes instead of the 90% he had in 2023 and he will be declared winner before 10 a.m on election day….a new Nigeria is POssible!!! ✊

Oh absolutely, my brother! With 100% of South-East votes and divine endorsement from WhatsApp prophets, Peter Obi will be sworn in before INEC even finishes breakfast. 😄

In fact, to make it easier, let’s just introduce the 6-Zone Presidency system:
Each geopolitical zone gets to elect their own president, and everybody rules their WhatsApp group in peace. Obi can be President of SE and Head of Hashtag Affairs.!!
That way, Obi won’t need a party structure, won’t need alliances, won’t need 25% in 24 states—he just needs data boys and dreamers.

Because as we now know, a new Nigeria is POssible—especially in the metaverse.

Let’s clap for illusions and carry on. 🫡

tutudesz:
Do LP still have candidates that contested the last election or they returned to their former parties
LP need to understand their role in Nigeria politics, they are political back up plans for failed politicians.

Exactly! Labour Party isn’t a political party—it’s Nigeria’s official Plan B depot.
When your political dreams crash in PDP or APC, you stroll into LP like a man entering a guest house after being kicked out of his marital home.

Let’s be honest: LP doesn’t recruit candidates; it receives political refugees.
It’s where politicians go to “rebrand” after their ambitions have been roasted like suya in their real parties.

funshint:
Only a party chairman can summon a NEC meeting PO and Otti don't have such power. This is more like a party town hall meeting.

The Real Party Still Missing in Action
If you think this meeting will resolve anything, think again. The same issues that sank LP in 2023 remain:

No structure.

No discipline.

No ideological clarity.

And worst of all, no humility to admit mistakes.

Peter Obi wants to play the outsider forever—a moral referee in a game where he also wants to score goals.

But politics is not a TED Talk. It's not about quoting China or citing how boli is cheaper in Onitsha than in London. It's about building something sustainable—even when the applause stops

Basic123:
Jumping from one political party to the other in desperation for power like a prostitute is American political card right?

The way you Osu Igbo Christians package this your fraudulent messiah will make even devil to dey fear you

A Reunion of Tenants in a House Nobody Built
Let’s be clear: Obi isn’t holding this meeting to prepare for 2027 on te platform of labour party. Peter is not a builder. He’s a renter.
He doesn’t plant trees—he shades under other people’s mangoes and then complains when the wind blows the leaves away.

It’s the classic Obi playbook:

Avoid party congresses.

Ignore internal structures.

Refuse to discipline or manage anyone.

Then when the roof collapses, gather everybody for a townhall at Transcorp Hilton.

One wonders if the hall booking came with a side of ideology.

This is a man who ran for president under a party he joined less than a year before the election, and now wants to summon a NEC of that same party after the courts have torn down its walls.
As we say in Yoruba, “Ṣe wọn fi ogiri we ilé, ni?” (Did you mistake a wall for a house?)

LegendHero:
Source: https://dailypost.ng/2025/04/07/peter-obi-alex-otti-summon-labour-party-nec-meeting/

This NEC meeting is the political equivalent of setting a trap long after the rat has eaten, danced, and retired.

You don’t build parties by emergency townhalls. You build them by consistency, compromise, and institutional discipline—three things Obi has never shown interest in.

If 2023 was his big moment, then 2025 is looking like a quiet concession: that lightning doesn’t strike twice in a rented apartment.

And as we say in Nigeria: “He who refuses to fix the roof during the dry season has no business holding a conference when the rain begins.”

Let the townhall begin.

Agbegbaorogboye:
First of all, you're too verbose in your reply. You need to keep to points raised and simmer down on bold fonts.

Secondly, don't be pained that I corrected you. You attacked me that I do not have good knowledge of the man but you ended up telling a lie about same man. That I corrected your lie shows I have better knowledge than you.

And for the record Public Administration is not Economics. In fact, it is far from economics. It is more of political science

My point which I made ab initio still stands: Fasua as the Presiden't Chief Economic Adviser should be speaking on macroeconomics and not on how much will fetch lunch. He has not, I repeat, he has not given any details on how to expand our economy in his public interventions since he took this role. He's been mostly gaslighting Nigerians on how much they need to appreciate what's going on instead.

That's not the job of an economic adviser. He's fumbling and seems out of depth in my humble opinion. The focus of an economic adviser for a developing nation such as Nigeria should be on how to expand the economy not gaslighting people about parity or disparity.

Ah, yes—I’ve been called many things, but this is the first time someone has accused me of **high-voltage verbosity**. 😄
Fair enough! I’ll simmer down. I hear you. Since you enjoy giving advice, let me return the favour in kind… **succinctly.**

And just so we start on a good note—because I believe in reconciliation—I’d like to offer you a **40% discount on your CNG conversion** if you're in Abuja. That way, you’ll stop burning fuel[b] *and*[/b] energy on long threads. 😂

Now, let’s address your points, quick and clean:

---

📌 **1. “You lied. Public Administration is not Economics.”**

You’re technically right, and I never argued otherwise. But you’re **mistaking discipline boundaries for capacity boundaries.**
A person with a PhD in Public Policy and a background in finance, plus real-world business experience and over a decade of public economic commentary, is more than qualified to **advise on economic strategy**—especially in a country where most of our economic issues are entangled with governance, regulation, and institutional reform.

Economics doesn’t live in an ivory tower. **It lives where people queue at filling stations and markets adjust prices based on vibes.**

📌 **2. “Fasua talks about lunch instead of macroeconomics.”**

I get that it may irritate you—but what he’s doing is **public economic interpretation**. He’s explaining **purchasing power**, **currency perception**, and the need for **internal benchmarking** in a relatable way.
You might not like the *"boli-and-fish economics,"* but **it’s a powerful communication tool in a country where technical reports don’t reach the man on the street.**

And let’s be honest—*you’ve been talking about his boli for two days straight. Clearly, it landed.* 😄

---

📌 **3. “He hasn’t offered strategy to expand the economy.”**

That’s a stretch. He has spoken on:
- **SME financing reform**
- **Tax net expansion**
- **FX policy**
- And the importance of local productivity

But here’s the thing: **He’s not the Finance Minister. He’s an adviser.** He makes recommendations, **not declarations from a throne.** You want a blueprint? That’s for cabinet members to roll out.

If you’re only listening to Fasua for GDP policy announcements, then you're tuning into the wrong frequency.

---

✅ **Final Word:**

You may think he’s gaslighting. I think he’s explaining hard truths without hiding behind jargon.

You may think he’s fumbling. I think he's **doing the job of a calm interpreter in a time when the mob wants fire and fury**.

And even if we disagree, at least let’s admit: **we’ve both said a lot more than most people who claim to care about Nigeria.**

Now come collect your CNG discount before I change my mind.
We may not agree on economics—but at least we’ll both save on petrol. 😎

ivandragon:
If the cap fits... you obviously wear it proudly.

But why did this trigger you? You have made snide remarks in response to others too...

Don't like the taste of your own pudding?

Ah, *ẹ̀bẹ̀rù Ọlọ́run o*! 😄
“Trigger”? Me? My brother, if na small pepper dey your pudding, **no be me wey cook am**.

You say I wore the cap proudly—but let’s be honest: **if you’re busy flinging caps into a crowd, don’t act shocked when someone adjusts it and strikes a pose.**

And no, I wasn’t triggered—I just thought I’d return the[b] *snide energy*[/b] you’ve been serving others, now plated and garnished with logic.
You see, some of us crack jokes with[b] **coconut oil**[/b], others just bring the empty shell.

But thanks for confirming it’s a pudding we’re tasting now. 😄
Just make sure next time, **you season it with sense—not only spice.**

By the way, have you converted your car to CNG yet, or are you still burning petrol like it’s 2015? 😄 If you’re in Abuja, I’m feeling generous—40% discount for you, just show face before I change my mind!

chidiokay:
I dont know you but i am more disappointed in you, @least we know why Fisua is feigning "Stupidity"

Anybody can have degree, phd and whatever But true intelligences lies in " Real impact" ... fasua might have written more on economic reforms But please highlight One real impact [/b]traceable to his works

Forget academic resume, No sensible person will compare the lowest unit to highest unit, $1 is the lowest currency of Us

America lowest currency cant buy meal anywhere in Us, how about Nigeria lowest currency lets use #10, can it buy any meal .... thats the logical scale to juxtapose

Seems you know Tope well, highlight Tope's works relatable to "tangible impacts" so far

Ah, “feigning stupidity,” you say? Fascinating choice of words—from someone who's working overtime to pretend [b]**complexity is ignorance**.

Let me flip it back at you: maybe the only one **“feigning intelligence”** [/b]here is the one who walks into a nuanced economic debate and expects every answer to come gift-wrapped with applause lines and short-term miracles.

But let’s take your points—since we’re here for clarity, not clapbacks.



[b] 📌 **Point 1: “Anyone can have a PhD. Intelligence lies in impact.”**

True. And that’s precisely why **your argument collapses on itself**.

Because when someone with that much education and experience spends his time simplifying policy for public understanding, he’s doing exactly what *impactful economists* are supposed to do—**translating complexity into clarity.**

Impact isn’t always building a dam. Sometimes, it’s helping a country walk through the storm **without losing its sense of direction**.

Fasua has:
- Advised the presidency during one of the most difficult economic transitions in decades.
- Helped draft policy that prioritizes[b] **internal production over external illusions**.[/b]
- Spent years creating jobs through SME development, running businesses, and mentoring entrepreneurs—real people, real jobs.

That’s tangible. Maybe not flashy. But **real work rarely comes with confetti.**


📌 **Point 2: “You shouldn’t compare $1 with ₦1,500. Compare the lowest unit of both currencies.”**

I see you’re reaching deep into the bag of analogies—but you’ve pulled out the[b] **wrong scale**.[/b]

This is where your logic breaks down:

In economics, **purchasing power parity (PPP)** doesn’t compare coins. It compares **value in terms of what you can buy locally**. [/b]You don’t compare a dime to a kobo—you compare [b]**how far a person’s money goes in each country**.

So no, we don’t compare ₦10 to 10 cents. We compare **what ₦1,500 can buy in Nigeria vs what $10 can buy in the U.S.**

That’s the whole point Fasua was making. The fact that you missed it doesn’t make him stupid—it just shows **you came to a chess match swinging a frying pan.**

📌 **Point 3: “Highlight one real, relatable impact of Tope Fasua’s work.”**

Let’s try:
- Championing economic literacy across TV, print, and podcasts in a country where misinformation runs wild.
- Supporting SME policy frameworks and entrepreneurship as a private sector actor.
- Helping shape **non-theoretical, boots-on-ground policy advice** that supports long-term reform—whether you like the reforms or not.

But here’s the real irony: you ask for **"tangible impact"** while contributing nothing but **tangible bitterness**.

If policy must be shouted or sponsored by Hollywood before you recognize it, then maybe **you’re not actually looking for impact—you’re looking for theatre.**

---

✅ **Final Word:**

You don’t have to like Fasua. You don’t have to agree with him.
But let’s stop pretending that a man offering honest, accessible policy insights during a tough time is the villain—while those who gave us cosmetic economics are suddenly heroes in hindsight.

As we say, *“If you break the drum that carried you to the dance floor, don’t complain when the music stops.”*

Don’t knock the man cleaning up the mess just because **you preferred the illusion that made the mess look pretty.**

Agbegbaorogboye:
First of all, you lied. He does not have a degree from LSE. Yet you claimed it as a fact.

The fact that you lied about his academic credentials shows that you're worse than I am in terms of your knowledge of his academic competence.

You claim he's ahead of many theoretical economists and what you have to back that claim up is that he's written extensively. Pray tell what is the difference between writing and theoretical articles?

Obviously you don't even understand what it means to be a developmental economist. You don't become a developmental economist by just going to TV stations to gaslight the public on how much can fetch you a lunch. Developmental economics is about developing economies by maximising their outputs.

I've listened to him so many times since he took the position and I've yet to hear any cogent response from him about strategy to rejig our comatose macroeconomic indicators. Instead, he's always talking about individual economics like lunch and making hay.

You did not do justice with your watery defence. You actually ended up looking worse. You lied to start with. And then your kept contradicting yourself. Try to do better

-

Ah, welcome back. I see we’ve now moved from disagreement to the **hall monitor phase**, where the argument isn’t about substance anymore, but whether I got a line item on someone’s CV “technically correct.”

Let’s go through your points one by one—since you seem to enjoy precision, let’s serve it with **cutlery and clarity**.

---

📌 **Point 1: “You lied. He does not have a degree from LSE.”**

I accept the correction on that detail, and I’ll own the error like grownups do.
But if your entire intellectual crusade hangs on whether **one degree on a CV** was misattributed in casual reference, while ignoring **the larger point about competence, experience, and real-world economic commentary**, then you’re not here for substance—you’re just here to score points off typos.

And for the record:
Dr. Fasua **holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration**, is a **fellow of multiple finance and economics institutes**, and has led an economic policy think tank for years. **That’s not gaslight—that’s résumé.**

📌 **Point 2: “Writing doesn’t make you a developmental economist.”**

You’re right. But neither does[b] **commenting on Twitter threads**.[/b]

No one said writing = expertise. The point was that **he has been active in public discourse, publishing, policy advisory, and running a real business in Nigeria’s tough economy**. That is more than most armchair analysts who live on imported graphs and academic models that don’t survive Nigerian humidity.

Developmental economics isn’t just theory—it’s the **ability to translate economic thought into context-sensitive, actionable policy insights**. And guess what? That includes **helping everyday Nigerians understand inflation, purchasing power, and subsidy impact in simple terms**.

If that offends your textbook, maybe it’s time to leave the faculty lounge and touch grass.


📌 **Point 3: “He talks about boli and lunch, not macroeconomic strategy.”**

And here, I must ask: *Were you listening, or just waiting for a soundbite to attack?*

The boli reference was an illustration of **purchasing power parity**—a globally accepted economic principle. Not a lunch order.

He’s spoken on:
- Exchange rate realignment
- Fiscal consolidation
- The impact of subsidy reform
- Local value chains and SME financing
- Structural inefficiencies in Nigeria’s public finance space

Just because he didn’t say it with academic jargon doesn’t mean he didn’t say anything. Perhaps the problem is **you were expecting a whiteboard presentation when the room called for plain language.**

📌 **Point 4: “You did not do justice with your watery defence.”**

That’s your opinion, and you’re entitled to it. But if your idea of justice is nitpicking a name on a CV while ignoring everything else raised—well, let’s just say **your critique may be loud, but it’s not deep**.

I’d rather defend reason and perspective than ride the outrage wave that fuels the comment section but **never fuels a power plant or pays a civil servant.**

---

Final Word:

You accused me of lying. I corrected the record.
Now can we go back to debating **economic ideas**, not digging through LinkedIn profiles for grammar points?

As we say, *“The man who spends all day checking spelling at the village square rarely hears the wisdom in the proverb.”*

Let’s rise above the technicalities and discuss the truth that matters.

ivandragon:
Charlatans masquerading as intellectuals...

Ah yes—*“charlatans masquerading as intellectuals”*—the preferred one-liner of those who bring nothing to the table but cutlery.

Please, can we graduate from[b] **Twitter proverbs**[/b] to actual conversation?

I’m not here auditioning for a PhD gown. I’m not an intellectual—I’m **just a bloody Nigerian engineer**, running a Petrol to CNG conversion workshop, paying salaries, fixing real problems, and thinking through this country’s wahala like any citizen with a functioning conscience.

If you disagree, say[b] *something*[/b]. Not soundbites. Not slander. **Substance.**

Otherwise, let’s not confuse *mic drops* with *brain drops*.

*As we say, “When your basket is empty, you shouldn’t complain that others are carrying water.”*

ivandragon:
You have said nothing worthwhile.

Those that claim to have the solution and are in power today, what have they done? Are Nigerians better off today then they were 10 years ago?

Like I said, your arguments hang in the air, no foundation, no substance. Just a lame attempt at justifying why those failing in governance today should be excused.

I speak to real world issues. Facts and figures, not conjectures and assumptions as you are steeped in. And since you chose to float around, then, you have no foundation to base your deceptive principles.

What economic principles have you raised? That subsidy must go? What is the usefulness of an economic principle if it only serves to further impoverish the masses?

What is the usefulness of an economic principle if those who propose it, develop it and implement it do not follow it?

You speak about looking inwards to strengthen the economy, yet the president goes on medical junkets abroad every 6 months and goes to France to 'reflect' on failed policies.

You are filled with polluted hot air... and your lame attempts at subtle insults will not be ignored.

Ah, finally—the “I speak facts, you speak hot air” declaration. A classic. But let’s engage it—properly.

First, let’s separate **emotion from economics.** You say I’ve offered no substance. But perhaps the real issue is **you don’t agree with the substance offered**, and that’s fine. Disagreement is not a crime, but refusing to acknowledge a different lens isn’t intellectual—it’s inflexibility wrapped in volume.

Now, to your questions:

**“Are Nigerians better off today than they were 10 years ago?”**

No, many are not.
But let’s not pretend the rot began yesterday.
The current hardship is the **interest we are paying on years of economic denial**, postponed reform, and reckless consumption masked as prosperity.

**Is it painful? Yes.
Is it necessary? Also yes.**

When a doctor tells a patient that the sugar habit must stop and prescribes insulin, the patient may not feel better the next morning—but the problem wasn’t the insulin. It was **years of unaddressed illness.**

**“What economic principles have you raised?”**

You ask this while listing them in your own rebuttal:
- I said subsidy must go: You disagreed.
- I said foreign exchange unification was long overdue: You ignored that.
- I said value must be built internally, not just compared externally: You mocked that.

But here’s the principle you missed: **Short-term pain is the down payment for long-term sustainability.**
You can’t borrow your way to growth forever. You can’t fix production by printing money. And you can’t build real value while clinging to artificial exchange rates and bloated subsidies.

**“What’s the use of an economic principle if it impoverishes the people?”**

Simple: **Economic principles are not miracles—they’re tools.**
If applied poorly or unevenly, yes, they can hurt. But if you judge the tool by the early discomfort and not the final outcome, then we might as well cancel surgery because anesthesia wears off too soon.

The real question is: **Would the masses be better off if these same reforms were never done?** Would we prefer another decade of "fake comfort" with ₦450/$1 at the surface, while billions were spent propping it up with no growth to show?

**“You speak of looking inward, but the president goes abroad…”**

Now here, we agree **partially**. The symbolism of public officials seeking care or “reflection” abroad is damaging. Optics matter.

But let’s not conflate a political misstep with **economic direction**.
Reforms must be judged by their **structure and necessity**, not the travel logs of their promoters.
That the president still seeks treatment abroad doesn’t make subsidy removal wrong—it makes **leadership example a separate issue.**
Let’s argue apples, not pineapples.

**Final Word:**

You say I float with no foundation, yet everything I’ve said is grounded in **macro-economic logic and policy evolution**. You say you speak “real-world,” but your real world seems stuck in a place where **only outrage counts as intelligence**.

You say I offer "subtle insults"—but if reading a clean counterpoint feels like an insult, **then maybe the issue isn’t tone, but sensitivity**.

*As we say, “A house that shakes at every breeze should check the quality of its walls, not blame the wind.”*

Chibuezem:
I agree with you on the part of developing internal value but first let's cut down on government spending and reinvest it in sectors such as Healthcare, Agriculture, Industry etc. Also increase of minimum wage which can sustain the needs of the common man. 70,000 naira cannot sustain one at all. Even the 77k being paid to youth corper is less than the value of 33k paid 5 years ago. It's sad that a doctor in Sierra lonne earns more than a Nigerian doctor.

Thank you sincerely for your[b]**civil tone and willingness to engage thoughtfully**[/b]—this is exactly the kind of exchange we need more of in our national conversations.

You're absolutely right about the need to **cut down on the cost of governance**. [/b]I’ve made this same point repeatedly—even in my response to others who pretend that defending economic reform means excusing wasteful spending. [b]**It doesn’t.**
Reform must be *wholesome*, not selective. If the people are tightening their belts, then government must be seen tightening its agbada too.

On[b]**reinvesting in critical sectors**—yes, again, spot on. Healthcare, agriculture, and industry are the engines of long-term national value. Without real investment in **production and productivity**, even the most carefully managed naira will remain under pressure.

Now, on the issue of **minimum wage and corpers’ allowance**—you make a valid observation about purchasing power erosion. ₦70,000 today does not carry the same weight ₦33,000 had years ago. But here’s the delicate balance: **raising wages without fixing productivity, inflation, and revenue sources just prints more money and fuels inflation further.**

What we need is[b] **a wage increase tied to value creation**[/b]—both in the private and public sector. Otherwise, we’ll just end up giving people more naira that buys them even less.

As for the **Sierra Leone comparison**, I’d caution that cross-country salary comparisons can be tricky. Yes, some professionals may earn more on paper, but we must factor in taxation, cost of living, inflation, and currency stability. Still, your sentiment is valid—it’s frustrating that **Nigerian professionals aren’t rewarded enough**, considering their talent and workload.

But we fix that not just by paying more, but by **rebuilding the economy that pays them**—through better tax policy, export earnings, and service-sector growth.

In short, we’re not far apart. We all want a Nigeria that works—for everyone.
I just believe **we have to build internal value before external rewards can be sustained.**

Let’s keep talking—and thank you again for keeping the tone respectful and the ideas flowing.

There’s an old proverb that says, *“A man who only sees with his eyes may still miss the truth right in front of him.”*
That seems to be the case with the recent critique of Dr. Tope Fasua’s appearance on the MicOnPodcast.

A fiery article went viral—mocking his arguments, calling his logic flimsy, and dismissing his examples of boli and fish like they were economic blasphemy. But before we throw out the man with the microphone, let’s **step back and ask a simple question**: **What exactly was Dr. Fasua trying to say?**

---

Value Is Not Just in Exchange Rates—It’s in Purchasing Power

Dr. Fasua’s point was not that Nigeria has no poverty, or that the naira is perfectly fine. **No.** What he was arguing is that **when assessing the value of a currency**, we must look beyond just what it converts to in dollars.
He was making a case for **purchasing power parity (PPP)**—a widely accepted economic principle. In plain language: *How far does your money go in your own country?*

Yes, $10 may barely buy a sandwich in New York, but N10,000 in Abuja can still get you a decent meal, a ride, airtime, and change. That’s not to say life is cheap—**it’s to say that value is contextual**. Money works differently in different economies.

But instead of engaging that conversation, the critics **missed the forest and set fire to the leaves**.

---

**The Argument Was Not That Nigeria Is Fine—It’s That the Naira Must Not Be Judged Blindly**

Let’s be honest: Nigerians are hurting. Inflation is biting, salaries are thin, and the naira has taken a beating.
But Dr. Fasua is not wrong to ask: *What is the actual value of the naira in Nigeria?* Not what it trades for in New York or Dubai—but **what it can buy in Onitsha or Osogbo**.

That’s not a distraction—it’s a conversation we must have, especially if we ever hope to build a productive economy that stops worshipping the dollar like an imported idol.

---

**Of Elitism and Eyebrows**

The original article mocked Dr. Fasua for mentioning “eyebrow places” and for daring to say that meals can be affordable in Nigeria if you "know where to go." They called that elitist.
But let’s not deceive ourselves: **people eat at different levels based on what they earn.**
It’s not elitist to say that not everyone shops at Shoprite. It’s called **economic layers**. Every society has them. In New York, there’s a difference between Whole Foods and Walmart. **Same logic.**

To ignore that truth in favour of righteous outrage is to trade insight for applause.

**Nigeria Needs to Define Its Own Value**

The real tragedy is that many Nigerians still believe our currency must be validated by its exchange rate against the dollar. But as long as that’s our only yardstick, **we’ll keep feeling poor—even when our economy grows.**

As we say, *“A goat that judges its height by the giraffe’s shadow will live forever in shame.”*
We need to build internal confidence in our economy, production, and pricing—*not just beg for better FX rates.*

That’s the spirit of Dr. Fasua’s argument: **context matters**, and local value is just as important as international exchange. He wasn’t sugarcoating poverty—**he was encouraging perspective**.


** Not Every Hot Take Is Deep**

The critic said Fasua’s argument is "better suited for the campaign trail." Perhaps.
But the rebuttal that followed was more heat than light—long on outrage, short on understanding.

We don’t solve Nigeria’s economic problems by shooting down every honest attempt at contextual thinking.
We solve it by **recognizing that a currency has more value than the number we see on the exchange board.**
And if we don't start from there, we’ll forever chase the dollar and never catch development.

As we say in our part of the world: *“If you want to know the weight of a yam, don’t ask the market—ask the pot.”*

dettolgel:
Why are you guys like this? Speaking from both sides of your mouth. Dr. Fasua was wrong and his comparison was outright false. That is the point of this thread.

If you want to discuss about what is "advocating" that is an entirely different conversation.

I wanted to insult you but I am not sure if you are the real Dr. Fasua Incase you are you be olodo now we know how you got your position.

Ah, now we’ve arrived at the *“I was going to insult you, but let me casually throw one anyway”* section of the debate.

Let’s clear a few things up—no, I’m **not Dr. Fasua**, though I’ve read enough of his work to confidently say[b] **he needs no one’s defense—but deserves informed engagement, not internet chest-beating.**[/b]

As for your claim that I’m “speaking from both sides of the mouth”—that’s rich, coming from someone who can’t even decide whether to argue, attack, or audition for a street corner insult contest. You say the comparison is false—but you didn’t bother to explain *why*. You just screamed “wrong” and expected that to be enough. That’s not a counterpoint. **That’s lazy commentary with WiFi.**

And calling me *“olodo”*? Please. If disagreement threatens you that deeply, maybe it’s your intellectual stamina that needs rest—not my opinion.

Let’s make this simple: if you want a debate, bring **substance**.
If you want attention, find a mirror.
And if you want to insult someone, at least do it with **grammar, logic, and a little finesse**. Not this spray-and-pray method you’ve employed here.

*As we say, “The lizard that nods doesn’t mean it understands the proverb—it may just be soaking sun.”*
Try comprehension next time. It works better than pre-loaded tantrums.

ivandragon:
Your submission is a mix of wilful ignorance, purposeful deceit and a desire to justify incompetence. Your attempts to sound enlightened only exposes the crass underbelly of your fickle understanding.

What is the base point of your comparison? All your comments are hanging in the air, devoid of any foundation to support your points. Do you know the government has policies that mandate lecturers in Nigerian institutions to have a certain amount of international publications?

The incompetence of bat is felt in all sectors of the economy, I only used the academics as an example, but your desire to defend incompetence makes you blind to reason.

You talk about 2014 being about subsidzed illusions, but those in power today keep subsidising thier own expenses and in fact, have increased spending on themselves & cost of governance. How come the illusion has not been removed from them? Or is it only the masses that should suffer from the removal of illusions as you so caually put it?

How come those in power today did not know it was an illusions then when they said they could do better? When they said N217 to $1 was too high? Did you know it was an illusion then?

Ah, we’ve arrived at the part of the debate where[b] **volume replaces clarity**[/b], and[b] **insults substitute for insight**.[/b]

You say my submission is “a mix of wilful ignorance and deceit”? Interesting. But where exactly is the deceit? Is it in quoting **purchasing power parity**, an internationally recognized economic concept? Or in saying that **₦1,000 means different things in different localities** across Nigeria?

You say my points “hang in the air”? Then tell me—what, specifically, did I say that isn’t grounded in the economic reality of a country trying to **recalibrate from years of structural decay**? Or would you rather I hang them on your personal outrage, since that seems to be the only structure you’ve built?

Now let’s talk substance—since you claimed to bring some.

---

1. **“Lecturers are mandated to publish internationally!”**

Yes, and that’s precisely the point:
If we *mandate* international publications while **ignoring the dollar-based cost attached to them**, shouldn’t our anger be directed at the[b] **policy**[/b], not the naira?
So tell me—should the economy bend to fit a broken academic policy, or should the policy be reformed to match **economic reality**?

Shouldn’t we be asking: *Why are we benchmarking academic output in dollars in a naira-based system?*

---

2. **“BAT’s incompetence is felt everywhere.”**

A sweeping statement. But how do we measure incompetence?

Is it by removing decades-old fuel subsidies that were swallowing ₦4 trillion annually?
Is it by allowing the naira to find its real value in the market, rather than propping it up with borrowed dollars?

You call it incompetence. Others call it **correction of years of convenient silence**.

Let me ask: *What would you have had them do—pretend a $1 to ₦450 rate was still possible when Nigeria was bleeding foreign reserves like a busted pipe?*

---

3. **“They are subsidising themselves while removing subsidies for the poor!”**

Ah, the classic—but again, let’s be specific.

Yes, the cost of governance is too high. I agree. But are you saying this government **invented** [/b]that problem?
Did you protest in 2012 when the same cost structure existed under a different party? Or is your outrage [b]**freshly activated** by the person in office?

If hypocrisy had a subsidy, it would be fully funded.

And if you genuinely care about cost of governance, then let’s debate[b] **budget items, MDAs, and legislative reform**[/b]—not recycle Twitter slogans.

---

4. **“Why didn’t they know it was an illusion in 2014?”**

Let’s flip that back to you: *Did you know?*
Did you speak up when crude oil was over $100 and we were **still borrowing** to fund capital projects?

Did you know that the exchange rate of ₦217 to $1 in 2014 was sustained by **propping the naira with reserves we weren’t replenishing**?

Or were you among those who called anyone who raised a red flag “anti-progress”?

It’s easy to see clearly in hindsight—but leadership requires you to act when it’s **unpopular but necessary**.

You’ve said a lot—passion, no doubt. But passion without precision is **just noise with confidence**.

You haven’t addressed a single **economic principle** I raised. You haven’t contested the reality of purchasing power. You haven’t proposed a viable alternative—just more blame and vibes.

So let me leave you with this:
*“The man who blames the lamp for the darkness but refuses to strike a match will always live in shadows.”*

If you have a better idea, bring it. But if all you have is insult and generalizations, then I’m afraid this conversation is above your rhetorical pay grade.

Mindlog:
There is nothing elite abou the reality of that worker who have to commute from Fagba to Lekki for work, he/she is also living in Nigeria?

Lagos bubble?...What is about Lagos, that is a bubble?

By the way, I don't live in Lagos.

Of course, there’s nothing elite about the hustle of a worker commuting from Fagba to Lekki—it’s a real struggle, and that worker is very much living in Nigeria. Deeply so. But the point remains: Nigeria is not only Lagos, and Lagos is not even fully Lagos, if we’re being honest.

When I said “Lagos bubble,” I wasn’t denying hardship—I was referring to the cost structure, lifestyle expectations, and inflated perception that often comes with using Lagos realities as the national measuring stick. You know, where Agege bread suddenly becomes ₦1,200 because it’s sliced in Ikoyi.

Also, thanks for the geography update—I’ll inform the council of assumptions that you don’t live in Lagos. 😄
But wherever you are, the principle stands: the cost of living in one part of Nigeria shouldn't define the entire narrative about the naira’s value.

ivandragon:
It is mind-boggling how the apc government and its supporters have thrown all sense into the gutter.

The reality of the terrible state of things is staring all Nigerians in the face, yet, they chose to play vile politics.

To publish a paper in a fairly reputable academic journal cost about $70. That is over N105,000.00...

Let's put this into perspective using a senior lecturer.

The average salary of a senior lecturer in the US is about $5,500 p/m. So, at $70, the publication fee is just 1.2% of his monthly salary. Such a lecturer can afford to pay for almost 80 publications if it was possible to use the whole salary for publications.

In Nigeria, a senior lecturer earns about N350,000.00 or let's say $230 p/m. At publication fee of $70, the Nigerian lecturer can only afford to pay for 3 papers...

In 2014, a senior lecturer earning N200,000 or $920 p/m, could afford to pay for 13 publications in a month.

Look at the difference... and some government clowns and thier supporters will be yapping trash about how it is better in Nigeria.

Bat must go in 2027. That should be the goal of every sane Nigerian.

Ah, the all-too-familiar cocktail of emotion, half-truths, and imported comparisons—shaken, not stirred.

Let’s begin with the academic publication analogy. Yes, publishing a paper in a decent journal costs about $70, and yes, a Nigerian lecturer earning ₦350,000 may find that steep. But comparing that to a U.S. lecturer earning $5,500 is like **judging a Keke fare in Aba using Uber rates in California.** It misses the context completely.

Let’s not forget that **a U.S. lecturer pays over $1,500 in rent**, hundreds in health insurance, utilities, transport, and student loans. That $5,500 shrinks real quick. Meanwhile, the Nigerian lecturer—though underpaid—doesn’t spend $800 on monthly insurance or $400 filling a gas tank. Again, **context matters.**

If your only measure of economic well-being is *“how many articles I can publish abroad,”* then what you're really asking is **why Nigeria isn’t America**, not why Nigerians are suffering. And that’s a lazy argument disguised as logic.

Now to the 2014 nostalgia: "a lecturer earned $920/month back then!" Yes—but at what cost? That was the era of[b] **subsidized illusions**,[/b] where oil sold at $110, yet we had power outages, unpaid salaries, and disappearing budgets. The dollar was cheap—but so was **fiscal discipline.**

Today’s realities are tough, no doubt. But this government didn’t break Nigeria—it inherited a system that was already eating its own tail. The painful reforms—subsidy removal, FX unification, push for local production—are not **anti-people**, they’re **anti-pretense**. You can only “manage” your way out of trouble for so long before the bill arrives.

You say “APC has thrown sense into the gutter”? No sir—**what’s really in the gutter is our obsession with dollar benchmarks.** [/b]We can’t keep living in naira and thinking in dollars. It’s like [b]**pricing okra soup using sushi standards.**

Instead of dreaming of 2014 exchange rates, let’s ask:
- Why are we not producing our own academic journals?
- Why must a Nigerian lecturer validate his intellect through a foreign platform that charges in dollars?
- Why can’t we peg costs to local realities and **build value internally**?

These are the questions serious people ask. Not just “Bat must go.”
That’s not strategy—that’s **emotional karaoke**. What comes after he goes? Do we reset the exchange rate by protest? Or fix the economy with bitterness?

*As we say, “You don’t throw away your canoe because the river got deeper—you strengthen the paddle.”*

This is the time for[b] **institutional maturity**[/b], not social media tantrums. Nigeria won’t be fixed by rage—it will be fixed by reform, realism, and responsibility. If you truly care about lecturers, start asking how to make the naira work at home—not how to stretch it abroad.

Mindlog:
N1,000 today can not buy me a filling lunch, nor can it cover my transport fare to work and back, shuttling between Fagba and Lekki, it can not power my I better pass my neighbour generator.....what real thirst does N1,000 quench.

By the way that N1,000 can buy me a loaf of bread of less than 50 pence.

Ah, and there it is—the *Fagba-to-Lekki standard* being used to measure the naira’s national value.

Let’s be honest: **N1,000 won’t take you from one end of Lagos to the other, feed you like a king, or fuel your generator for a week**. But here’s the thing—it was never meant to.

When we talk about the naira’s[b] **practical value**[/b], we’re not benchmarking it against **commutes between high-end districts or boutique bread from a Victoria Island bakery**. We’re talking about It’s about how that same ₦1,000 can still buy you a decent "akara burger"—Agege bread with hot akara—or a plate of grilled yam with pepper sauce at the street corner in Osogbo, Owerri, or Makurdi.
No, it won’t buy you lunch at a highbrow spot in Lekki, but it will fill the stomach of a roadside trader, a student, or a mechanic trying to push through the day.

That’s the point Dr. Fasua is making: let’s stop obsessing over how the naira performs abroad or in luxury bubbles, and start asking real questions—like how to reduce the cost of beans and oil, so akara becomes cheaper.
Fix local production, stabilize the transport of farm produce, reduce energy costs, and suddenly your ₦1,000 buys more.

That’s how you build real value—by working on what people eat, use, and pay for daily. Not by chasing the dollar like it’s the only god of economics.

As we say, “It’s not the market price that feeds the family—it’s the price of what’s cooking at home.”


So rather than reduce the argument to *“what ₦1,000 can’t do for me in my Lagos bubble”*, let’s step back and ask: *How do we build an economy where ₦1,000 means more across the board—not just for the elite corridor between Fagba and Lekki?*

Now that’s a conversation worth having.

Value Is Not Just in Exchange Rates—It’s in Purchasing Power
Dr. Fasua’s point was not that Nigeria has no poverty, or that the naira is perfectly fine. No. What he was arguing is that when assessing the value of a currency, we must look beyond just what it converts to in dollars.
He was making a case for purchasing power parity (PPP)—a widely accepted economic principle. In plain language: How far does your money go in your own country?

Yes, $10 may barely buy a sandwich in New York, but N10,000 in Abuja can still get you a decent meal, a ride, airtime, and change. That’s not to say life is cheap—it’s to say that value is contextual. Money works differently in different economies.

But instead of engaging that conversation, the critics missed the forest and set fire to the leaves.

The Argument Was Not That Nigeria Is Fine—It’s That the Naira Must Not Be Judged Blindly
Let’s be honest: Nigerians are hurting. Inflation is biting, salaries are thin, and the naira has taken a beating.
But Dr. Fasua is not wrong to ask: What is the actual value of the naira in Nigeria? Not what it trades for in New York or Dubai—but what it can buy in Onitsha or Osogbo.

That’s not a distraction—it’s a conversation we must have, especially if we ever hope to build a productive economy that stops worshipping the dollar like an imported idol.

Mindlog:
And what is that practical standard of living?

Ah, I see we’ve reached the[b] “ask-a-question-to-sound-deep”[/b] portion of the program.

But since you asked—practical standard of living [/b]means exactly what it says: [b]what the average Nigerian earns, spends, and survives on—daily. Not what the naira does in London or how it dances on a parallel market chart, but how it feeds a family in Lafia, gets a commuter from Gwagwalada to Wuse, or pays school fees in Enugu.

It means pricing goods, services, and wages based on local realities—not imported expectations. It means a policy mindset that says, “Let us raise our internal productive value,” instead of forever weeping at the feet of forex gods.

In simple terms? It’s asking: how much boli, beans, rent, transport, and recharge card can ₦10,000 buy in Nigeria today? That’s the benchmark for the true value of the naira at home.

As we say, “The real worth of water is not in the bottle—it’s in the thirst it quenches.”

So before we obsess over international comparisons, let’s fix what the naira does on our own soil. That’s the conversation.

Agbegbaorogboye:
Going through his CV, Tope Fasua is not fit to be an economic adviser for the president
He's a commercial banker and a finance expert but not into developmental economics at least from what I can see in his public resume
So one can't blame him. He's a square peg in a round hole
That's why he's had to dive headlong into putting out fires on his boss's behalf instead of coming up with economic strategies to improve the lot of Nigeria as a country especially at the macroeconomic level

It’s one thing to critique policy. That’s fair game in any democracy.
But to discredit someone’s competence based on a surface read of their CV? That’s not analysis—it’s academic snobbery dressed in lazy thinking.

First, let’s get the facts straight.

**Tope Fasua is not just a “commercial banker.”/b] He holds degrees in [b]Economics from institutions like the London School of Economics, earned a **PhD in Public Policy & Administration**, and is a fellow of several professional bodies. He has written extensively on economic reform, public finance, development economics, and policy architecture. That alone already puts him miles ahead of many “theoretical economists” whose only engagement with Nigeria’s economy is through Twitter threads and textbook quotes.

Second, your argument reveals a misunderstanding of what[b] **an economic adviser to the president**[/b] is supposed to do.
It’s not about drawing equations on a board or quoting Amartya Sen on TV—it’s about **understanding fiscal policy, interpreting data in real time, communicating strategy clearly, and advising on implementation in a complex, imperfect system**. And on those fronts, Fasua has demonstrated more depth and clarity than many of his peers.

Third, dismissing him as someone “putting out fires” for his boss is rich—coming from people whose own fire is often just Twitter rage and echo-chamber retweets, without the burden of actually solving anything.

Being “into developmental economics” isn’t a badge you wear—it’s a mindset applied to real policy issues. And if you bothered to read his work instead of skimming a resume like a lazy recruiter, you’d know he’s done plenty of that.

As we say, “A man who judges a book by the cover often misses the wisdom in the pages.”

So next time, come with a real critique. Not this shallow take that couldn’t pass an entry-level debate class.