Cost of Living Remarks by presidential aide Tope Fasua trigger debate after he urged Nigerians to adjust spending habits

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, has sparked fresh debate after urging Nigerians to adjust their spending patterns to reflect their income levels amid worsening economic hardship.

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Tope Fasua made the remarks during a members-only Coffee Hangout organised by the Kay Hikers Club in Abuja, where he engaged in a heated discussion with attendees over the rising cost of living, insecurity and declining purchasing power across the country.

A video of the exchange, posted on the group’s official Instagram page on Thursday, captured a tense moment as a female attendee criticised the economic realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.

The attendee questioned the affordability of basic food items and argued that many citizens could no longer meet essential 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 the basic thing, as basic as food is now something you have to beg for?” she asked.

The woman also linked increasing street crime and insecurity to economic hardship and poor wages for low-income earners.

Responding, Tope Fasua acknowledged that prices had increased but argued that the situation was not as catastrophic as some Nigerians portrayed.

The presidential aide insisted that households could still survive by adopting disciplined spending habits and managing available resources more carefully.

“A modest family will feed for several days with ₦10,000,” he said.

Tope Fasua further advised Nigerians to “cut their coat according to their cloth”, stressing that people should adapt their lifestyles to prevailing economic realities.

“You can go to the market, I go to the market too. I have customers in Utako market, in Wuse market. I like shopping. I like going to the market. I test things. You can buy foodstuff which you cook at home,” he added.

The Cost of Living Remarks quickly generated reactions online, with critics accusing the presidential aide of downplaying the severity of inflation and hardship facing many households.

During the discussion, another attendee challenged Tope Fasua’s position and argued that economic hardship in Nigeria could not simply be reduced to questions of mindset or personal adjustment.

“I feel like you are now beginning to spiritualise the issues in Nigeria when you say mindset, because it’s not actually supposed to be a mindset, it’s a reality,” the attendee said.

Tope Fasua responded by insisting that while government policies shape outcomes, citizens still have room to improve their personal economic resilience and survival strategies.

He also dismissed comparisons between Nigeria and the United States, arguing that purchasing power should be assessed within local economic realities rather than through dollar-based comparisons.

“We are not in the US. Everybody has to deal with his own currency,” he said.

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The exchange highlights growing public frustration over inflation, food prices and economic conditions as Nigerians continue to grapple with the impact of ongoing reforms under the Tinubu administration.