The conversation on Nigeria's economic reality is set to take center stage this Sunday, October 11, 2026, as the Boiling Point Arena hosts an Independence Special edition. The topic of discussion is "Where Did the Middle Class Go? How Are Nigerians Surviving the Cost-of-Living Crisis and What Can Government Do to Ease Hardship/ Pain?" Three distinguished personalities, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, Prof Abdullahi Sule-Kano, and Dr Paul Alaje, will share their insights on the current state of the Nigerian economy.
The guest speakers bring a wealth of experience to the discussion. Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, a pioneer former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), will offer a labor perspective on the economic crisis. Prof Abdullahi Sule-Kano, a professor of Political Science at Bayero University, Kano, will provide an academic analysis, while Dr Paul Alaje, a prominent economist and financial analyst, will share his expertise on the economic implications of the crisis. The session will be chaired by the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof Saka Matemilola, who will also deliver a keynote address.
The discussion will be transmitted via Zoom and broadcast live on seven partner radio stations across Lagos, Ogun, and Delta States. The partner radio stations include WASH 94.9FM, Lagos, Sweet 107.1FM, Abeokuta, Roots 97.1FM, Abeokuta, Erimbe 94.7FM, Shagamu, Women Radio 91.7FM, Mowe, Opera Tune 106.3FM, Abeokuta, and Kruzz 92.9FM, Asaba, Delta State, alongside a cable television station, NSTV, on GOtv Channel. The event will run for two hours, starting from 8 pm.
The traditional idea of the Nigerian middle class appears increasingly under pressure. For decades, the Nigerian middle class represented the aspirational heart of society, occupying the space between poverty and affluence. However, with the current cost-of-living crisis, that confidence appears increasingly fragile. A salary that once covered a family's basic needs may now disappear under the combined weight of food, rent, transport, school fees, electricity, healthcare, and other obligations.
The discussion will examine the Nigerian worker's current reality through the lenses of labor, politics, and economics. The most important question facing the discussion is whether Nigeria's economic growth and reforms are translating into improved living conditions for the people who make up the backbone of the economy. The combination of labor, politics, and economics is significant, as it will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the Nigerian economy.
Economic status is not simply about what a person earns; it is also about what that income can buy, what assets the person owns, what obligations they carry, how secure their future is, and whether they can withstand an economic shock. This creates a fascinating social paradox: Can someone be classified as middle class by income while living like the poor? These questions expose the difficulty of placing Nigerians neatly into economic categories.
The Boiling Point Arena, hosted by veteran journalist and communication strategy expert Ayo Arowojolu, has been a monthly current affairs program for four years. The special edition comes at a critical time when the traditional idea of the Nigerian middle class is under scrutiny. The discussion aims to provide insights into the current state of the Nigerian economy and possible solutions to the cost-of-living crisis.
Key points
- Experts to discuss the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on Nigeria's middle class
- The discussion will examine the Nigerian worker's current reality through labor, politics, and economics lenses
- The event will be transmitted via Zoom and broadcast live on seven partner radio stations
