Society Gists

Nollywood actress Eniola Badmus has made headlines again for her vocal support of the current Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu.

In a recent post, Badmus praised the administration’s handling of the economy, citing a huge trade surplus as a positive sign of Nigeria’s economic growth.

“Our imports are reducing, and our exports are increasing. That is a sign that our economy is expanding,” Badmus stated.

She went on to share figures to back her claims, saying, “For the year-to-date 2024, our imports were N24.44 trillion, while our exports stood at N38.59 trillion. This gives us a surplus of over N14 trillion in just eight months. It has never happened in Nigeria. Never. This is a refreshing shift from consumption to production.”

According to Badmus, the  shift in Nigeria’s trade balance indicates a healthier economy, where production is now prioritized over consumption.

However, her comments have stirred controversy online, attracting criticism from many Nigerians.

Social media users wasted no time expressing their doubts. One user, @ibidamola, questioned Badmus’ understanding of the economic terms she used, saying, “I can bet she doesn’t know what ‘unprecedented trade surplus’ means.”

Others, like @teflon147, suggested that reduced imports might be due to other negative factors: “Your imports are reducing because you want to kill them with high import duty. Many businesses have collapsed.”

The actress, a long-time supporter of the Tinubu administration, has previously faced backlash for her political stance, and this latest post was no exception.

Users like @beygood1992 expressed their frustration, stating, “Who cares about your FAKE data. People are starving, and you’re talking data. Fuel is 1k. Once they enter government, they lose their senses.”

Several netizens also raised questions about the nature of Nigeria’s exports, with @worldstar asking, “What are we exporting? Do we produce anything except oil?” Meanwhile, @b.a.r.n.a.b.a.s.i.y.a.k.i challenged Badmus to provide a breakdown of the goods and services contributing to the alleged surplus.