You can’t ask Moses to return to Egypt, Tinubu tells subsidy critics

President Bola Tinubu has firmly stated that Nigeria will not revert to fuel subsidy, comparing the situation to the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The president dismissed critics who advocate for a return to subsidy, asserting that reversing the decision would be akin to asking Moses to return to Egypt after the Red Sea parted.

Tinubu, who disbanded the fuel subsidy shortly after taking office in May 2023, explained that the policy had caused a significant increase in petrol prices and transportation costs, which had led to widespread public discontent about the rising cost of living. The government defended its removal of the subsidy, arguing that it placed an unsustainable burden on public finances and diverted resources that could have been invested in critical sectors such as infrastructure.

Despite calls for the government to ease the economic hardship caused by higher fuel prices, Tinubu remains committed to maintaining the current policy, emphasizing that reversing it would amount to a step backward rather than a forward stride in economic reform.