President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has defended his administration’s decision to remove petrol subsidies, insisting that the policy has ended a system he associated with corruption, falsified invoices and fuel smuggling.
The President spoke on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off rally in Kaduna, where he sought public support for his re-election bid in 2027.
Addressing party leaders, governors and supporters, Tinubu argued that the former subsidy arrangement was vulnerable to abuse and that maintaining it would have continued to place pressure on government finances.
“Fuel subsidy is in our past. No more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more lies, no more smuggling of fuel,” he said.
The President’s remarks come as the removal of petrol subsidies remains one of the most contentious economic decisions of his administration.
The policy, introduced at the beginning of his presidency in May 2023, ended the government’s previous system of subsidising petrol prices. The change significantly increased the amount consumers pay for fuel and contributed to higher transportation and distribution costs.
The administration has maintained that subsidy removal was necessary to reduce fiscal pressure and redirect public resources towards infrastructure, social programmes and other development priorities.
However, critics have questioned whether the benefits of the reform have reached ordinary Nigerians quickly enough, pointing to continuing concerns about inflation, food affordability and the cost of basic services.
At the Kaduna rally, Tinubu also blamed opposition parties for the hunger and poverty they have accused his administration of failing to address.
He insisted that his government was working to improve economic conditions and urged voters to support the continuation of its policies.
The President further praised APC governors for their development programmes and regular payment of workers’ salaries, presenting these as evidence of progress under the ruling party.
His defence of subsidy removal places economic policy at the centre of the APC’s campaign message as the party seeks another presidential mandate.
The debate is likely to intensify ahead of the 2027 election, with the government emphasising fiscal reforms and long-term economic recovery, while opposition parties are expected to focus on the immediate effects of those policies on households and businesses.
Whether the reforms deliver broader improvements in living standards will remain a key issue for voters assessing the administration’s record.