Nigeria’s Tax Chief Defends Tinubu’s Frugality Amid Hardship: “He Walks to the Office”

ABUJA — Nigeria’s tax chief has stepped in to defend President Bola Tinubu’s personal habits amid growing public anger over hardship.

Nigeria Revenue Service Executive Chairman Zac Adedeji made the defence during a televised interview, ValidViewNetwork reports.

Checks by ValidViewNetwork confirm the interview aired on Channels Television on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

The Interview

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Channels Television journalist Seun Okinbaloye questioned Adedeji about officeholders’ lifestyles amid economic hardship. Findings show the exchange formed part of a broader interview aired on August 9, 2026. Adedeji used the platform to push back against claims of presidential extravagance directly.

“He Walks To The Office,” Adedeji Says

Adedeji dismissed claims that Tinubu regularly moves around in a large convoy. “Mr President goes from home to office on foot,” he said. He questioned where critics had seen the President’s alleged convoy in recent months.

Adedeji also challenged criticism over Tinubu’s reported use of luxury vehicles like Cadillac Escalades.

No Foreign Trips In Three Months, Adedeji Claims

Adedeji claimed Tinubu has not travelled outside Nigeria in the past three months. ValidViewNetwork gathered that he described the President as focused entirely on official duties. He said Tinubu spends his days reviewing government documents rather than socialising.

One Meal A Day, NRS Boss Insists

The NRS chairman further claimed the President eats only once daily. He said Tinubu rarely, if ever, attends parties or social events.

Adedeji challenged critics to name any recent event or holiday featuring the President.

Context: Growing Scrutiny Over Official Lifestyles

Adedeji’s comments arrive amid mounting public scrutiny of Nigerian political leaders’ personal spending. ValidViewNetwork reports that citizens and civil society groups continue demanding greater accountability over public resources.

Rising living costs have sharpened public sensitivity to perceived extravagance among officeholders.

A president’s walk to work rarely makes headlines outside a season of genuine hardship. Adedeji’s defence reveals how closely officials now feel compelled to justify even routine habits.

Whether Nigerians accept the portrait of frugality will depend on facts, not framing. For a country counting its meals, symbolism now carries as much weight as policy.