In Nigeria, a country of 230 million inhabitants, the president’s latest action is shaking heads: Bola Tinubu (71), who has been in power since March this year, wants to do something good for his 460 members of parliament – and is giving every politician Has a Toyota Prado worth about 138,000 euros. This means that the purchase of this SUV will cost the government treasury 63.48 million euros. The new cars are aimed at helping lawmakers do their jobs even better. Many politicians immediately gave their wives Toyota Camry limousines (costing 43,000 euros each), which they previously received as company cars – they were not “suitable” enough.
Additionally, according to the AP news agency, Bola Tinubu wanted to include another 5.63 million euros in the budget for the renovation of the presidential yacht – but after protests, this budget item was changed to “scholarships for students”.
There are more pressing problems to be solved in Nigeria right now: 40 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line, although living conditions in the north, which has been neglected for decades, are significantly worse than in the south. Average life expectancy is one of the lowest in the world, only 53 years.
After the impressive dimensions of the Nigerian government’s car purchases became known, there is now visible criticism on social media channels: after all, according to a German user on transfer development aid to Nigeria. The purchase of luxury SUVs can hardly be considered sound use for Nigerian politicians.
And the black-green federal government in Vienna is also sending Austrian tax money to the capital Lagos (16 million inhabitants): Austria is sponsoring a medical project for hard-to-reach areas in Nigeria with 250,000 euros. If only two of the 460 Nigerian MPs gave up their Toyota Prados, this very sensible project could have been funded by Nigeria itself.
