{"id":5335,"date":"2026-11-01T05:30:50","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T05:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/11\/01\/fgs-90-day-action-plan-elicit-divergent-reactions-businessday-ng\/"},"modified":"2026-11-01T05:30:50","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T05:30:50","slug":"fgs-90-day-action-plan-elicit-divergent-reactions-businessday-ng","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/11\/01\/fgs-90-day-action-plan-elicit-divergent-reactions-businessday-ng\/","title":{"rendered":"FG\u2019s 90-day action plan elicit divergent reactions \u2013 Businessday NG"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>\u2026Nigerians query implementation model<\/strong><\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>\u2026As ADC scoffs at Tinubu\u2019s N50,000 cash relief as election gimmick<\/strong><\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p>From this month, most vulnerable Nigerian families are going to witness temporary relief from the sustained impact of the economic hardship.\n<\/p>\n<p>If things go according to the Federal Government\u2019s plans, the citizens will enjoy a 90-day economic action plan, which the government said is aimed at reducing the impact of the high cost of living, improving food affordability and attracting investment across Nigeria.\n<\/p>\n<p>While details of the plan, which was proposed by the Federal Ministry of Finance and endorsed by the National Economic Council at its 161st meeting, are yet to be disclosed, observers think that it is the government\u2019s forced acknowledgement of the heavy burden its reforms have placed on the masses.<\/p>\n<p>Read also:\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/life\/article\/n70000-fgs-allowance-splits-workers-as-economic-hardship-deepens\/\">N70,000 FG\u2019s allowance splits workers as economic hardship deepens<\/a><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>According to them, the government and even some international bodies have been praising the economic reforms of this administration, but it has been a different reality for the people, whom the reforms are supposed to serve.\n<\/p>\n<p>The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also been vocal on the issue, while insisting that the people want concrete measures to tackle rising living costs, declining purchasing power and widespread poverty, not temporary palliatives.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur response to the federal government\u2019s so-called 90-day plan to ease the cost of living is unambiguous. This plan is not a remedy; it is a confession. It is the government\u2019s tacit admission, finally dragged out of it by the sheer weight of popular suffering, that its policies of the past four years have afflicted the Nigerian people rather than improved their lives,\u201d Chris Onyeka, assistant general secretary, NLC, said.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor years, the government denied that its reforms were producing pain. Various ministers told us there was no suffering while other official spokespeople insisted the economy was on the right track. Now, with the announcement of a 90-day cost-of-living plan, the government has conceded the obvious; something is deeply wrong, and it was caused by the very policies it once defended\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In his opinion, Phillip Aigbe, an economist and senior lecturer at a Southern African university, decried that the three-month relief will make less impact on people who have been under the heavy weight of the economic reforms for almost four years now, rather than a permanent solution, such as tackling inflation, increasing productivity, increasing crude oil production and offering local refineries cheaper crude to impact pump prices.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo reform will make sense if it does not translate into better living conditions for the people. I don\u2019t think the current reforms have entirely impacted; if not, there would not have been a need for the three-month palliatives for the people. We need permanent solutions, a review of the reform and adoption of what can work for us,\u201d Aigbe said.\n<\/p>\n<p>Also looking at the possible impact of the temporary relief, Aigbe argued that initiatives such as cash transfers, petrol discounts and soft loans have not worked because of the huge depth of the suffering in the land and poor implementation.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am wondering how the relief will work without being hijacked by favouritism, corruption and political considerations. The government should not start what it cannot finish or another controversial palliative measure,\u201d he urged.\n<\/p>\n<p>Also speaking from an expert view, Onyewuchi Akagbule, another economist, argued that if the success of economic policies should be measured by their impact on people\u2019s daily lives, the current reforms have not made much impact as poverty is on the increase.<\/p>\n<p>Read also: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/news\/article\/fg-begins-n50000-monthly-relief-payments-under-new-nersi-scheme\/\">FG begins N50,000 monthly relief payments under new NERSI scheme<\/a><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe government needs to face the reality. It is not about politics but the fact that the reforms have not yielded the expected results and may not because of the wastage going on when the government is shouting reforms,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring their first year in office, they asked for time; in the second year, they asked for more time, and so on. How much time do we need to give them to turn things around for the good of Nigerians?\u201d He asked.\n<\/p>\n<p>The best relief and permanent solutions, according to him, include beating down inflation, forcing down petrol prices, reducing taxes on essential commodities and ensuring security for farming and more food production.\n<\/p>\n<p>He is also worried about how the government will implement the relief packages equitably across the country and how it will capture the expended funds.<\/p>\n<p>But Yakubu Pam, a retired security officer, decried that the government is back with another ploy and at the wrong time.\n<\/p>\n<p>According to him, the three-month palliatives are the least of Nigerians\u2019 problems, when those who can farm and feed themselves cannot do so due to the escalating insecurity, and businesses scale down in some parts of the country also because of safety issues.\n<\/p>\n<p>Pam lamented that the killings have continued in Plateau, Kaduna and Benue communities, with the addition of Taraba recently.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan the ruling party boldly go to these areas for campaigns? What will they tell the families whose members are in captivity or have died in the hands of terrorists despite the many promises by the government and security agencies?\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, instead of the three-month palliatives, my relatives and other family members in Mangu, Pankshin and other trouble spots are asking for three-month peace. They don\u2019t want to wake up to the cries of displaced families, sacked villages and people mourning their dead anymore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Read also:\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/news\/article\/who-warns-of-rising-diabetes-burden-as-3-in-4-cases-go-undiagnosed-in-africa\/\">WHO warns of rising diabetes burden as 3 in 4 cases go undiagnosed in Africa<\/a><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Sam Onikoyi, a Nigerian academic, thinks that the country should not go the quick fixes route, which he decried, has not helped in addressing any issue in the past.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe 90-day plan is a quick fix. We have witnessed such in the recent past, and it did not solve any problem. The palliative fund, rice and other items have never been accounted for today because they were looted,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n<p>He further argued that the three-month relief cannot reduce the high cost of living as other economic and business variables are involved.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs the government going to fix prices of items for three months? Are transporters going to be forced to reduce fares when petrol prices are increasing, and will landlords and schools also reduce rents and fees?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is going to be an impossible quick fix. I think the government should know better than to play politics with it,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n<p>Toeing the same line, Ter Ngueseh, a chartered auditor, said that the quick fix is part of the desperation by the ruling party to win the 2027 general elections at all costs.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf not in desperation to win at all costs, why would a government go into such an unfeasible project? It is not all about announcing the plan; how are you going to execute that?\u201d He asked.\n<\/p>\n<p>He thinks that the ruling party is looking for a way to mop up funds for its campaigns, no matter how small and that the 90-day plan is one of them.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey will allocate the resources, execute their plans, and whatever amount they claim to be expended is what will be in the public domain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Read also:\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/agriculture\/article\/33-5m-nigerians-to-face-acute-food-insecurity-by-mid-2027-report\/\">33.5m Nigerians to face acute food insecurity by mid 2027 \u2013 report\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Ngueseh decried that the timing is also wrong, as whatever intention the government may have would be misinterpreted as a political campaign for the 2027 elections.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy now? He asked. \u201cPetrol discount, transportation allowances, 90-day palliatives and others are all coming at the peak of the political campaign. They should have been when the people would see no political undertone attached to them,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n<p>In his view, Tiri Braimoh, a politician, noted that the government has not done anything wrong by introducing palliative measures now, especially as the people asked for them.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, we campaign, and there is nothing wrong with using palliatives to woo votes from the masses,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you say the government should not give petrol discounts or palliatives, don\u2019t collect them; others will jump at them because they are a relief no matter how small the impact\u201d.\n<\/p>\n<p>Braimoh, an Alimosho Lagos-based politician, noted that all parties are doing the same, but in different ways and magnitudes.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen PDP was in power, we were in opposition then and I know what we suffered. So, we are taking advantage of our advantage, and I don\u2019t see anything wrong with that. Collect the palliatives and vote for us,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n<p>Hassana Ige-Daodu, a women market leader, also argued that those who reject the palliatives are not doing the government any favour, as it has the right to campaign like other parties and with whatever it can lay its hands on.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe give palliatives; they said it is temporary. What are others giving? Collect the temporary one now, the permanent one is coming soon,\u201d she assured.<\/p>\n<p>However, most observers see the planned relief as another set of promises that will end with the campaigns for the 2027 elections.\n<\/p>\n<p>They urged the government to go for permanent solutions, which will save it from pressure and constant face-offs with the NLC and the people.\n<\/p>\n<p>Read also:\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/africa\/article\/rising-heat-threatens-millions-of-jobs-in-ghana-ethiopia-others-ilo-warns\/\">Rising heat threatens millions of jobs in Ghana, Ethiopia, others, ILO warns<\/a><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"n50000-cash-relief-election-gimmick-adc\">N50,000 cash relief election gimmick \u2014 ADC<\/h3>\n<p>The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has also accused President Tinubu of introducing the proposed N50,000 monthly cash relief for vulnerable Nigerians as an election gimmick aimed at regaining public support ahead of the 2027 general election.\n<\/p>\n<p>Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, alleged that the initiative was a desperate attempt to win back Nigerians angered by the administration\u2019s economic policies.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement issued on Saturday, Abdullahi said the timing of the intervention raised questions about the government\u2019s intentions, particularly as the opposition party had made affordability and the rising cost of living central to its campaign.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPresident Tinubu is in full panic mode now. Since the ADC and our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have made affordability and reducing the cost of living the cardinal focus of our campaign, the government has been announcing one desperate intervention or another,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n<p>Abdullahi described the proposed payment as an election-season handout, questioning its purchasing power amid rising food, transportation, fuel and healthcare costs.\n<\/p>\n<p>He also questioned the transparency of previous social intervention programmes, alleging that billions of naira allocated to cash transfers remained unaccounted for.\n<\/p>\n<p>The ADC challenged the Federal Government to explain the utilisation of previous intervention funds, warning that the new programme could become another avenue for financial diversion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bday-read-also\">\n<h4>Related News<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bday-ad bday-ad--gam\" id=\"bday-ad-2\" data-bday-ad=\"\" data-unit=\"bd-body-2\" data-placement=\"below_share_buttons\" data-partner=\"gam\" data-category=\"display\" data-device=\"all\"><span class=\"bday-ad__label\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"bday-google-badges\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=businessday.ng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/FGs-90-day-action-plan-elicit-divergent-reactions-\u2013-Businessday-NG.jpg\" alt=\"Add BusinessDay as a preferred source on Google\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKQgKIiNDQklTRkFnTWFoQUtEbUoxYzJsdVpYTnpaR0Y1TG01bktBQVAB?hl=en-NG&amp;gl=NG&amp;ceid=NG%3Aen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/FGs-90-day-action-plan-elicit-divergent-reactions-\u2013-Businessday-NG-1.jpg\" alt=\"Follow BusinessDay on Google News\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p>Source: <\/p>\n<div class=\"nSourse\">Businessday NG<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2026Nigerians query implementation model \u2026As ADC scoffs at Tinubu\u2019s N50,000 cash relief as election gimmick From this month, most vulnerable Nigerian families are going to witness temporary relief from the&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}