‘You Can’t Tax the Poor’ — Oseni Blasts President Tinubu’s Economy Policies

Broadcaster and political analyst Rufai Oseni, on Wednesday, has criticised Nigeria’s economic direction, warning that rising electricity tariffs, currency instability, and reliance on palliatives are worsening hardship for millions.

Speaking on Frontpage review program on Voice of the People 90.3 FM, Mr Oseni said current policies are failing to address the root causes of inflation while deepening poverty across the country.

“You cannot tax a people you haven’t empowered, and you cannot ask for sacrifices from the poor while the political class lives in opulence. We are running an economy on trial and error, and the victims are over 200 million Nigerians,” he said.

Mr Oseni’s remarks come amid ongoing policy changes in the power sector by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), including tariff increases for Band A electricity users.

The development, combined with continued volatility of the naira, has intensified pressure on households, businesses, and the broader economy.

He noted that many Nigerians are struggling with rising costs of electricity, fuel, and basic commodities, further squeezing the already fragile middle class.

“Data-less Governance”

A major part of Mr Oseni’s critique focused on what he described as “fictional data” guiding economic decisions.

He questioned the credibility of the electricity band classification system, alleging that many consumers are billed at premium rates despite inconsistent or unreliable power supply.

According to him, weak metering systems and poor accountability have turned electricity billing into what he called “legalised extortion.”

Impact on businesses

Mr Oseni warned that the rising cost of energy, particularly diesel, is crippling Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.

He cautioned that continued pressure on the productive sector could lead to widespread business closures and a shrinking tax base for the government.

“If the productive sector collapses, there will be nothing left to tax,” he said.

Palliatives debate

The analyst also dismissed government relief measures, arguing that distributing food and other palliatives does little to tackle structural economic challenges.

He described such interventions as a “lazy approach” that encourages dependency rather than sustainable growth.

Mr Oseni called for a transparent and coherent economic roadmap, stressing that real reform must begin with reducing the cost of governance.

He argued that until political leaders demonstrate sacrifice by cutting excessive spending, calls for citizens to endure hardship will continue to lack credibility.