Atiku Abubakar Critiques Tinubu on Nigeria's Debt Crisis

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar criticized the Bola Tinubu administration regarding Nigeria's escalating public debt, which totaled N166.79tn as of June 30, 2026, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO) data published on September 25, 2026. This figure includes N91.59tn in domestic debt and N75.20tn in external debt, with the latter converted at an exchange rate of N1,379.18 to the dollar.

Atiku highlighted the increase from N49.85tn recorded in March 2023, prior to Tinubu's administration. He called for a detailed reconciliation of the debt, specifying how much was inherited, due to exchange-rate changes, and genuinely new borrowing since May 2023.

He also demanded accountability for the N22.71tn Ways and Means advances incorporated into the debt stock from June 2023. Additionally, Atiku questioned the $39.25m listed as “other charges” in the DMO's second-quarter 2026 external debt-service report, seeking clarification on the $22.5m charge for a First Abu Dhabi Bank Total Return Swap.