{
  "id": 2935597,
  "title": "Atiku Doubles Down on Plan to Restore Fuel Subsidy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/atiku-doubles-down-on-plan-to-restore-fuel-subsidy",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-24T03:50:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/08/24/atiku-doubles-down-on-plan-to-restore-fuel-subsidy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar reiterated his plan to restore targeted petrol subsidy, alleging that President Bola Tinubu's economic policies disproportionately benefit wealthy individuals while burdening the poor. Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of engaging in economic deception by removing fuel subsidies while providing tax breaks to major oil investors. He criticized the government's claim that petrol subsidy had been abolished as an \"economic fraud\" and pointed out that public resources were still being used to cushion costs and support investment in the petroleum sector. Atiku argued that Tinubu declared the removal of subsidies at a rally, but then defended petroleum investors with fiscal incentives and a \"Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives\" framework that provided production tax credits. The former vice president questioned the administration's explanation of energy-security expenses, which recorded N4.84 trillion in 2023 and N7.13 trillion in 2024, as public resources continued to absorb petroleum price differentials. Atiku maintained that whether the government called it subsidy, under-recovery, shortfall or energy security, public resources were being used to bridge the gap between economic cost and the price at which petrol was sold. He accused the administration of operating two economies in Nigeria, where market-driven policies were imposed on households while investors received fiscal incentives to reduce investment risks. Atiku suggested that the success of economic reform should be measured by its impact on citizens, not by the removal of a particular policy. He proposed a targeted, capped, transparently budgeted and independently audited intervention to reduce the burden of high petrol prices, accompanied by measures to restore household purchasing power.",
  "summary": "*Says Tinubu took from poor, gave to his rich friends *Yilwatda: Atiku’s proposal troubling, suspicious*Olawepo-Hashim: Ex-VP is father of subsidy removal, recent U-turn dishonest *Donald Duke canvasses economic reset, says",
  "key_points": [
    "Former VP Atiku reiterates plan to restore targeted fuel subsidy.",
    "Accuses Tinubu administration of economic deception and fiscal incentives for oil investors.",
    "Questions public resource use to bridge petrol price differentials."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Atiku's plan to restore targeted fuel subsidy signals a shift in economic priorities to alleviate burdens on the poor, contrasting with President Tinubu's policies that he claims favor wealthy individuals.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "Atiku’s fuel subsidy plan risks reviving corruption – Kebbi APC chieftain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/atikus-fuel-subsidy-plan-risks-reviving-corruption-kebbi-apc-chieftain",
        "published": "2026-08-24T05:34:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}