I’ll restore subsidy to ease hardship, Atiku insists

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has reaffirmed his commitment to restoring petrol subsidy if elected as president in 2027. In a post on X, the former Vice-President emphasized that such a policy would make life easier and more affordable for Nigerians. Accompanying the post was a campaign video featuring a female narrator explaining the high price of petrol in Nigeria, which is currently above ₦1,300 per litre, and citing the lower fuel costs in other crude oil-producing countries like Libya, Iran, Venezuela, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

The narrator also highlighted that Atiku's proposed intervention would target petrol produced by local refineries rather than imported products. Atiku reiterated that his position on restoring the subsidy remains unchanged and stated that the arrangement would support domestic refining until the industry can function without government assistance.

The debate over the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu's administration in May 2023 has been ongoing, as government officials stated that they could no longer afford the rising costs of the subsidy and would reallocate the funds to infrastructure, education, healthcare, and job creation.