Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu following reports that ride-hailing company Uber has ended its operations in Nigeria after 12 years.
In a post shared on his X account on Wednesday, Ibe linked Uber’s reported exit to what he described as the country’s worsening business environment under the current administration.
According to him, Uber may officially explain its decision as part of a review of its global business priorities and investment strategy, but Nigerians should look beyond that explanation.
He argued that many businesses are struggling with soaring inflation, exchange rate volatility, rising operating costs, weak consumer purchasing power and policy uncertainty.
Questioning the country’s investment climate, Ibe said, “The real question is simple: why is Nigeria increasingly becoming a business graveyard, a place where businesses choose to leave rather than invest and expand?”
The Atiku aide further stated that an administration that pledged to attract investment should not ignore the growing concerns over companies scaling down operations or leaving the country.
He said, “An administration that promised to attract investment cannot continue celebrating economic statistics while companies shut down, scale back or redirect investments elsewhere.”
Ibe maintained that Nigeria requires policies capable of attracting and retaining investors while creating employment opportunities for citizens.
He added, “Nigeria needs policies that make businesses want to come here, stay here and create jobs—not an economic environment that steadily drives them away.”
Describing Uber’s reported departure as a warning sign, Ibe concluded that the development suggested the government’s economic reforms had yet to achieve the investment-friendly environment promised to Nigerians.
In his words, “Uber’s exit should therefore be a wake-up call: Tinubu’s economic policies are not yet delivering the investment-friendly Nigeria Nigerians were promised.”
He ended the post with a sharp criticism of the administration’s economic direction, stating: “Indeed, Tinubunomics is powered by ‘bole ka ja’ policies!”
