By Ahiaba Douglas
President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Comrade Festus Osifo, has delivered a damning midterm assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, stating that the government’s performance falls “far below” what Nigerians were promised or anticipated.
Osifo made the remarks on Tuesday, 3 May, in Abuja during a media briefing at the second edition of the PENGASSAN Women Commission Annual Convention (PWAC 2025).
The event, themed “The Dynamic Woman: She Powers the Future, Driving Industry Transformation and Innovation,” brought together industry leaders, union members, and stakeholders from across the energy sector.
Reviewing the administration’s first two years in office, Osifo said Nigerians have yet to experience meaningful change or benefits from the electoral promises made by the President during the 2023 campaign.
“The administration’s performance is far below the expectations of Nigerians, in view of the fact that a lot of promises were made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023,” Osifo told reporters.
He criticised the government’s claims of economic progress, arguing that both macroeconomic and microeconomic realities point in the opposite direction.
According to him, everyday Nigerians are facing worsening living conditions and widespread hardship.
“Despite the administration’s grandstanding to have improved the nation’s economy, the lives of common Nigerians do not reflect any such progress. People continue to grapple with poverty and hyperinflation,” he said.
Osifo identified several policy choices he believes have aggravated the country’s economic woes.
Chief among them is the steep devaluation of the naira, which, he argued, has deeply eroded investor confidence and significantly diminished purchasing power across the population.
“The nation’s currency has been devalued at an alarming rate. This has affected the economy generally. Even local and foreign investors now see the economic environment as catastrophic,” he warned.
He questioned the practical impact of the government’s proclaimed economic gains, asking how such progress has translated to day-to-day affordability, access to basic services, and the rising cost of essential goods.
“How have the government’s claimed gains impacted the price of commodities in the market? What about the cost of medication for the sick?” Osifo asked.
The TUC President’s comments reflect growing unease among labour groups, civil society, and the broader public as the administration reaches its two-year mark, with many citizens expressing concern that their living standards have continued to decline despite government assurances of economic recovery and reform.