Presidential aide advises Nigerians to adjust spending habits amid economic pressure

Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Economic Affairs, has urged Nigerians to align their spending with their income, emphasizing the need for households to "cut their coat according to their size" amidst rising economic challenges. This advice came during a Coffee Hangout organized by Kay Hikers Club in Abuja, where Fasua engaged in a heated discussion with an attendee who highlighted the escalating cost of living, insecurity, and diminishing purchasing power. The attendee questioned the affordability of basic necessities, citing the increased prices of food items and linking rising street crime to economic hardship. Fasua acknowledged the price increases but maintained that households could still manage resources effectively, suggesting that 10,000 Naira could feed a modest family for several days. He also dismissed dollar-based comparisons of living standards, advocating for local realities as the benchmark. While another attendee accused Fasua of oversimplifying structural issues, Fasua asserted that individuals could still adjust their survival strategies and improve personal economic resilience despite national challenges.