The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the federal government to urgently address the deepening economic hardship and widespread hunger affecting Nigerians.

In a statement released on Saturday and signed by the Clerk of the Senate, NANS Headquarters, Abdulyekinn Odunayo, the student body called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement policies capable of revitalising the nation’s economy and alleviating the suffering of its citizens.

Odunayo lamented that Nigerians have been subjected to extreme poverty and hunger since the current administration took office.

“There is an urgent need for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to implement measures to tackle hunger, poverty, and the growing impoverishment in the country. Nigerians are groaning under the heavy burden of the current economic crisis, and the nation has never had it this bad.

“The dual swords of Damocles—fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira—have struck Nigerians in their hearts. Many families can no longer afford even one meal a day, let alone three. The freefall of our currency against the dollar and other international currencies has compounded the suffering of the people.

“As representatives of Nigerian students, we passionately appeal to the president to refine and accelerate his economic policies to provide short-term, medium-term, and long-term relief for Nigerians. Immediate improvement is essential as many citizens are struggling to survive,” the Clerk of the Senate stated.

He criticised the simultaneous removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, saying these policies have plunged the nation deeper into economic hardship, increased hunger, and driven up the cost of living for millions of Nigerians.

Odunayo further observed that many Nigerians had hoped the Tinubu administration would resolve the economic challenges inherited from former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government. However, the country has instead experienced skyrocketing prices of food and essential commodities.

He noted that students have also been adversely affected by the dire economic situation, with many unable to continue their education.

While acknowledging the introduction of the student loan scheme as a helpful initiative, Odunayo called for a comprehensive overhaul of the economy to deliver the good governance promised by President Tinubu.