Paul Ibe, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said businesses are facing pressure under President Bola Tinubu.
He cited the recent Shell agreement to sell its Nigerian domestic gas distribution business to Vaaris Energy.
The organisation said the decision is part of a portfolio restructuring to focus on deepwater oil and integrated gas.
According to Ibe, the announcement invites a larger question about the state of business under the Tinubu administration.
"Since 2023, GSK and Sanofi have moved to third-party distribution. Procter & Gamble announced a transition to imports. Kimberly-Clark shut its Nigerian manufacturing operations while South Africa's Shoprite had kissed Nigeria goodbye. In September 2026, Uber discontinued its Nigerian services.
"These decisions draw attention to the economic pressures confronting businesses: exchange-rate volatility, expensive energy, unreliable infrastructure and weak consumer purchasing power," Atiku's aide said.
Lamenting that Tinubu's government regularly celebrates GDP growth, rising revenues and improved international economic assessments, Ibe said economic recovery must also be measured by factories operating, businesses expanding, decent jobs being created and Nigerians' purchasing power.
"The World Bank's October 2026 report emphasised the need for greater private investment, productivity, jobs and improvements in living standards.
"A growing economy should create the conditions for businesses to invest, manufacture, expand and employ Nigerians—not merely record improving statistics while productive enterprises struggle.
"The Tinubu administration owes Nigerians clear answers. How many new manufacturing jobs have been created since May 2023? How much productive investment has been lost or gained? How many factories have closed, and how many new ones have opened? What has happened to the cost of running businesses?
"Nigeria needs an economy that attracts productive investment, sustains businesses and creates jobs. That is a more meaningful test of economic management than political declarations about reforms," he said.
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