BREAKING NEWS: Catholic bishops decry economic hardship, insecurity in Nigeria

 

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has expressed concern over the harsh economic conditions and worsening insecurity faced by millions of Nigerians.

They blamed the economic strain to the reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Speaking at the opening session of the CBCN’s 2025 First Plenary Meeting held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) in Abuja on Sunday, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, the President of the CBCN and Archbishop of Owerri, highlighted the severe impact of these economic policies on the nation’s population.

“While the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration aim at stabilising the economy in the long term, they have significantly triggered sky-rocketing inflation, drastically reduced the purchasing power of Nigerians, and plunged millions into poverty,” Ugorji stated.

He referenced the World Bank’s projection that 129 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line and cited the 2024 Global Report on Food Crisis, which ranked Nigeria second globally in terms of acute food insecurity, with 24 million people classified as food insecure.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics also shows that food inflation reached 39.84% in December 2024, with Nigerians now spending approximately 65% of their income on food alone, often at the expense of healthcare and other essential needs.

Ugorji acknowledged the government’s efforts to mitigate the situation through palliative measures, duty waivers on imported food items, and other initiatives.

However, he described these efforts as inadequate given the scale of the crisis. He added: “Government’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of the citizenry have remained the tip of the iceberg.

“As Nigerians continue to suffer and die, the resultant daily stress is taking a heavy toll on the mental health of many parents, who overstretch themselves just to make ends meet.”

Despite these challenges, Ugorji noted some positive developments, including the rehabilitation of dilapidated roads, construction of new infrastructure, the introduction of a student loan scheme, the new minimum wage, and a reduction in the percentage of revenue spent on debt servicing, from 97% to 68%.

“Despite all these, the state of the nation remains bleak, as dark clouds of uncertainty and despondency continue to gather,” he remarked. He listed four critical issues that demand urgent attention: the harsh socio-economic situation, rising insecurity, youth unemployment, and the deplorable state of federal correctional centres.

On the issue of insecurity, the CBCN President painted a grim picture of the growing threat posed by insurgents and criminal groups.

“The scourge of insecurity persists and is even getting worse across the nation,” Ugorji said. “The ‘armies’ of Boko Haram, bandits, and unknown gunmen continue to grow in number and in acts of wickedness and barbarism. Kidnapping for ransom and the mindless killing of innocent people are on the rise, with priests and religious leaders increasingly being targeted.”

In his address, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, echoed Ugorji’s call for national reflection and spiritual renewal.

The theme of the plenary session, “Jubilee of Hope: A Light for a Better Nigeria”, he said, is an invitation for all citizens to return to God, strengthen their relationship with the Creator, and foster unity and compassion among one another.