The Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has accused politicians, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank of contributing significantly to Nigeria’s economic woes.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Ndume warned that their actions are pushing the country toward a crisis similar to Venezuela’s.

The senator’s remarks reflect his criticism of external economic policies and domestic political mismanagement, which he believes have combined to worsen the country’s economic challenges.

He emphasized the need for a more self-reliant and locally driven approach to economic reforms, urging leaders to prioritize the interests of Nigerians over external pressures.

He said, “I think so. But you can go ahead, I am here. But let me tell you, this problem that we have in this country is self inflicted. Look at it deeply.

“And you know, the World Bank and the IMF have hands in it. They don’t need to be here for us. My fear is that they are deliberately driving us towards Venezuela. Venezuela has the world largest oil reserve with less population, I think, is about 30 million people. And yet, even now, people are dying.”

Ndume, when told that it wasn’t the IMF that did that, noting that there were internal politics, said, “Now you are saying, you know when we allow ourselves to be managed by somebody that doesn’t know the environment or the condition we are operating, then you are getting it wrong.”