“President Eats Once a Day” — NRS Boss Dismisses Tinubu’s Extravagant Lifestyle Claims

“President Eats Once a Day” — NRS Boss Dismisses Tinubu’s Extravagant Lifestyle Claims

Zacch Adedeji defends President’s lifestyle amid economic hardship, says Tinubu does not live extravagantly

The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) , Zacch Adedeji, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu walks to his office and eats only once a day, while dismissing claims that the President lives an extravagant lifestyle amid Nigeria’s economic difficulties. Adedeji made the remarks during an interview with Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, while responding to questions from journalist Seun Okinbaloye about the lifestyles of political office holders as Nigerians continue to grapple with rising living costs and growing economic pressures. His comments come amid public debate over government spending and the perceived extravagant lifestyles of some public officials, at a time when citizens are confronting high living costs and other economic pressures.

According to Adedeji, Tinubu usually walks from his residence to his office and only uses a vehicle when he is heading to the airport. “Mr President goes from home to office on foot, not even driving except when he is going to the airport. I don’t know where you see the convoy. Before he became president, what is he riding?” Adedeji said. He further claimed that the President eats only once daily and had not travelled outside Nigeria in the previous three months. “What is living large? In the last months, he has not even left the shores of this country, trekking and working. If you go there now, you will see him review one document or the other,” he said.

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The NRS boss was also questioned about reports concerning the number of Cadillac Escalades allegedly attached to Tinubu’s convoy. Responding, Adedeji challenged the basis of the concern, arguing that the President could afford such vehicles and should not be portrayed as living extravagantly because of their use. “How much is an Escalade that the president of Nigeria cannot afford? Please don’t embarrass this country,” he said. He further questioned how frequently the President attends social events, arguing that his activities do not suggest a lavish lifestyle. “So what is living large? The president eats once in a day. How many parties have you seen him at in the last three years? Tell me where you have seen him, whether on holiday or anywhere?” Adedeji asked.

His comments follow President Tinubu’s own admission in May 2026 that he had lost weight and sleep since assuming office, which he attributed to the demands of his reform agenda. Speaking after securing the APC presidential ticket, Tinubu said: “I know what it takes to reform this nation we met in tatters. If you lost sleep, I’ve lost some too. If you’ve lost weight, I’ve lost some too.” Critics have however pointed to what they describe as the disconnect between Adedeji’s description of Tinubu’s lifestyle and the visible security presence and protocol that typically accompany a president.

The discussion comes against the backdrop of rising food inflation at 17.52 percent and headline inflation at 15.91 percent, alongside a N70,000 minimum wage that many Nigerians argue is inadequate amid the current economic climate. The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has warned that rising food prices continue to erode household purchasing power, worsen poverty and food insecurity, and weaken the inclusiveness of the current reform programme. Nigerians on social media have also reacted with skepticism to Adedeji’s claims, with some describing his comments as insensitive given the economic realities facing ordinary citizens.

“President Eats Once a Day” — NRS Boss Dismisses Tinubu’s Extravagant Lifestyle Claims