The World Bank has urged the federal government to maintain the ongoing economic reforms, warning that reversing it may have negative implications for the country.
Recall that fuel subsidy and abolishing of multiple foreign exchange systems were policies introduced by the current administration on day one in office. While the federal government has consistently defended the policies, many Nigerians have complained about their implications on the masses.
Pump price of fuel which was N198 at the time the government of President Bola Tinubu removed subsidy, now sells above N1,000, while naira which traded below N600 for one dollar is now above N1,700 in the parallel market.
The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ndiame Diop, speaking at the launch of the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) report in Abuja on Thursday, affirmed that while the reforms may bring hardship, it was necessary for the nation’s long-term stability. Dr. Diop also warned that “Reversing these reforms would be detrimental and would spell doom for Nigeria,”
In the same vein, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, emphasized the commitment of the federal government to sustain its reforms
“Any effort that is not sustained will be a waste. Together with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, we’ve been discussing how to stay on course, tackle inflation and ensure we move in the right direction.”
Edun further explained that the government’s focus is on reducing inflation while ensuring investments flow into critical sectors such as industry, where jobs can be created as the country is expecting huge investments in the coming days.
