Fact vs. Fiction: A Critical Examination of Genocide Allegations and World Bank Poverty Misrepresentations on Nigeria

The CSO’s Strategist, a coalition of civil society groups dedicated to promoting unity, responsible governance, and national development, expresses grave concern over the recent attempt to portray Nigeria as a theatre of Christian genocides and a nation sinking irreversibly into poverty as purported by certain international commentators and institutions.

We view these narratives as misleading, dangerous, and counterproductive to the collective efforts at national cohesion and socio-economic stability.

1. On the Alleged “Christian Genocide” Narrative
Our attention has been drawn to recent provocative comments by American media personality Bill Maher, insinuating that a systematic religious genocide is ongoing in Nigeria, targeted against Christians.

We find such a statement reckless, uninformed, and grossly irresponsible, capable of further polarizing Nigerians along religious lines and igniting unnecessary tension.

Nigeria, like many plural societies, faces security challenges—ranging from banditry, kidnapping, herder–farmer conflicts, and terrorism—which are largely criminal and socio-economic in nature, not religiously orchestrated.

While it is true that both Christians and Muslims have suffered tragic losses from insurgency and criminality, there is no empirical evidence to support claims of a government-sanctioned or ethnically targeted genocide. Such conclusions are drawn from selective reporting and politically motivated exaggerations often designed to satisfy certain foreign policy agendas or destabilization interests.

We must caution that weaponizing religion for political or ideological gains is a disservice to humanity and to Nigeria’s fragile peace.
The Nigerian people, regardless of faith, have historically coexisted with mutual respect and interdependence. Any attempt to fracture this bond through divisive international rhetoric must be firmly resisted.

We call on the Federal Government, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and the Ministry of Information to intensify diplomatic engagement and public enlightenment to counter this misinformation before it gains dangerous momentum in the global media space.

2. On the World Bank’s 139 Million Poverty Projection
In the same vein, CSO’s Strategist expresses deep reservations about the recent World Bank report claiming that 139 million Nigerians are living in poverty. While we acknowledge the economic hardship confronting many households and the need for urgent policy redirection, we reject this figure as exaggerated, methodologically flawed, and disconnected from the nuanced realities of Nigeria’s informal economy.

The World Bank’s analytical model continues to rely on outdated poverty metrics that fail to capture local economic dynamics, such as subsistence livelihoods, community-based trade systems, and rural productivity that thrive outside formal GDP accounting.

Moreover, recent indices from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Central Bank of Nigeria, and independent think-tanks such as NESG and Brookings Africa, provide more balanced data indicating signs of gradual economic recovery, driven by renewed local production, digital entrepreneurship, and non-oil sector expansion.

Hence, it is misleading to project Nigeria solely through the lens of global poverty templates designed for economies with different social and structural contexts.

3. The Way Forward
While rejecting these distortions, we equally urge the Nigerian Government to:
Reinforce national security coordination, intelligence sharing, and community policing to curb insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry across regions.
Deepen reforms in agriculture, MSME financing, and youth skills empowerment to cushion the impact of inflation and unemployment.

Enhance strategic communication to protect Nigeria’s global image from external misrepresentation.

Encourage the media, both local and international, to adhere to truthful reporting and balanced analysis that reflect Nigeria’s complexity rather than propagate divisive stereotypes.

4. Our Call to Citizens and International Partners
We urge Nigerians not to internalize narratives that aim to divide or demoralize. Our nation’s challenges are real, but they are shared by all citizens, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or region. What Nigeria needs now is collaboration, not condemnation.

We call on international partners and foreign commentators to engage with credible local data sources and civil society organizations before reaching conclusions that may harm diplomatic relations or worsen social polarization.

Conclusion
Nigeria is not a genocide zone; it is a nation struggling, striving, and surviving, navigating complex security and developmental challenges like many others across the globe.

As civil society actors, we stand for truth, justice, and progress, we will continue to oppose all forms of falsehood, divisive rhetoric, and external manipulation aimed at undermining our national unity and collective hope

FOR CSO’s STRATEGIST
E-Signed:
Balogun Hameed
Convener
Frontline socio-economy Research centre (FSRC)

Co- Conveners
* Workbond international Network (WIN)
* Yoruba Youth Assembly (YYA)
* Congress of Nigeria youth League (CNYL)
* Lagos State Liberation Congress (LASLIC)
* People’s Accountability and Transparency (PAT)
* Vanguard for Social Justice (VSJ)
* Centre for Human Rights (CHR)
* Centre for Peace Initiatives (CPI)