Gbenga Daniel: Nigerians’ experience, not GDP, measures economy
LAGOS — Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, has said the true measure of Nigeria’s economic progress should be the lived experiences of citizens rather than growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) alone.
Daniel spoke on Thursday at the 7th Annual Lecture of Freedom Online in Lagos, where he argued that economic growth and security were inseparable.
His comments came days after the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.43 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, up from 4.23 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
According to the senator, although the latest GDP figures and improvements in agriculture and services were encouraging, they did not fully reflect the economic realities confronting Nigerians.
“Nigeria cannot have a strong economy without security, and it cannot have lasting security without a strong economy, which effectively means that both of them are inseparable,” he said.
Daniel said the real test of economic progress was whether Nigerians could secure decent jobs, access their farms safely, operate businesses profitably and attract investment.
He asked: “In our country today, can a young person find decent work? Can a farmer safely reach the farm? Can a manufacturer produce competitively?
“Can a small business survive the cost of power and transport? Can investors commit their resources with confidence?”
The former Ogun State governor described security as an essential component of economic infrastructure, rather than an issue exclusively for the military, police and other security agencies.
He said insecurity had direct economic consequences, noting that farmers who could not safely access their land would be unable to produce enough food, while insecurity along major roads would increase the cost of transporting goods.
Daniel further argued that excessive expenditure on security measures could undermine business competitiveness, while insecurity in communities could discourage both domestic and foreign investment.
He called for an approach that treats security and economic development as mutually reinforcing priorities.
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