Tope Kolade Fasua has stirred public reactions after stating that a modest Nigerian family can still feed for several days with ₦10,000 despite the country’s rising cost of living and worsening economic hardship.
Newsonspot gathered that Fasua made the remark during a members-only Coffee Hangout organised by the Kay Hikers Club in Abuja.
A video from the event, later shared on the club’s official Instagram page, captured a heated conversation between the presidential aide and a female participant who raised concerns over inflation, insecurity and the declining purchasing power of Nigerians.
The participant lamented the increasing prices of food items and the struggles many citizens face in meeting basic daily needs.
“Are you aware that you can no longer buy tomato ₦500 from the market as you used to 10 or 15 years ago? Are you also aware that food, which is a basic necessity, is now something people practically beg for?” she asked.
She further linked the growing rate of street crime and insecurity to worsening economic conditions and low earnings among ordinary Nigerians.
Responding to the concerns, Fasua argued that Nigerians should avoid exaggerating the country’s economic challenges and instead focus on more prudent spending habits.
According to him, careful financial management can help families survive the current economic realities.
“A modest family will feed for several days with ₦10,000,” Fasua stated.
The presidential aide explained that he regularly visits markets, including Utako and Wuse markets in Abuja, to monitor prices personally.
“You will know how to cut your coat according to your cloth. You can go to the market; I go to the market too. I have customers in Utako market and Wuse market. I like shopping. I test things. You can buy foodstuff which you cook at home,” he added.
Fasua also maintained that government cannot satisfy every public expectation, insisting that citizens must learn to adapt to prevailing economic conditions.
“I know things are expensive, more expensive than they were before. But if we want sensation, government will never win,” he said.
He further rejected comparisons between Nigeria’s economy and that of the United States, stressing that local purchasing power should remain the benchmark for assessing economic realities in the country.
