Presidency tells critics to stop baseless sovereign debt alarms on Tinubu
Presidency’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, cautioned Nigerians against denigrating President Bola Tinubu with baseless sovereign debt alarms, citing a social media post that listed Africa’s most indebted countries for 2026. According to the post by @StatiSense, Nigeria’s public debt stands at 35.5% of GDP, far below countries such as Sudan (169.1%), Senegal (132.3%) and Mozambique (106.1%). Onanuga praised Tinubu and his economic team for responsible leadership, saying the figure shows Nigeria is not among Africa’s most indebted nations.
The warning comes amid rising political criticism and online narratives that portray Nigeria’s debt situation as dire. Onanuga’s response aims to counter what he describes as a deliberate effort to undermine confidence in the administration’s economic management. He emphasized that the President’s team has kept debt at a sustainable level compared to peers on the continent.
For citizens assessing the country’s fiscal health, the data provides a benchmark: Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains moderate, though still requiring prudent management. The Presidency’s statement also highlights how social media claims can shape public perception, urging readers to verify debt figures from reliable sources such as the Debt Management Office or IMF reports before accepting alarmist narratives.