A presidential aide, Daniel Bwala, has backed the ongoing economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that the current hardship reflects essential changes rather than policy failure.
In a post shared on X on Monday, Bwala argued that although reforms can be challenging, the issues Nigerians endured in the past were even more severe but had become accepted as normal.
“Yes, reform is loud. But, as Nigerians, we need to be honest with ourselves. The problems we lived with for years were even louder. We just got used to them. The waste, the inefficiency, and the struggle to make simple things work; it became our normal,” he wrote.
He explained that the present disruptions are part of wider efforts to address long-standing structural problems in the country.
“Now that things are being fixed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it won’t be quiet or easy. Real change never is. The noise you hear today is the sound of difficult but necessary change,” Bwala added.
The presidential aide stressed that nation-building requires resilience, sacrifice, and honesty, noting that reform processes are rarely smooth.
“Nation-building is not a quiet process. It demands courage, sacrifice, and honesty. And while reform may be uncomfortable for Nigerians, it is the only path to lasting stability and shared prosperity for all Nigerians,” he said.
Bwala also criticised opposition parties for failing to present alternative policies, particularly on key economic decisions taken by the current administration.
“As of now, the opposition has not told us the alternatives to fuel subsidy removal. They are yet to tell the available option to FX rates reconciliation. They are yet to present a counter offer to young Nigerians on Nelfund’s student loan, amongst many others,” he stated.
He further criticised previous administrations, suggesting their policies had adverse effects on the country.
“They took us to Egypt during their days. Imagine where a congregation of them all in one place would further take us,” Bwala said.