The Presidency has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to reintroduce petrol subsidies if he wins the 2027 presidential election, describing the idea as a step that could undermine Nigeria’s economic reforms.
The dispute has reopened one of the most contentious economic debates of the Tinubu administration just days after the commencement of the 2027 presidential campaign.
Presidency defends subsidy removal
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has argued that Nigerians should receive relief from the high cost of petrol and the wider cost-of-living crisis.
The Presidency, however, has rejected his position, arguing that the former vice president’s proposal represents a return to a system it considers costly and vulnerable to abuse.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga criticised Atiku for changing his position on subsidy removal.
The Presidency said the subsidy regime had historically been associated with waste, corruption and significant financial pressure on government resources.
Subsidy becomes 2027 campaign issue
The disagreement has quickly become one of the early economic flashpoints of the 2027 campaign.
Atiku has presented his proposal as part of a strategy to reduce petrol prices and ease pressure on households, while the Tinubu administration maintains that removing the subsidy was necessary to stabilise Nigeria’s finances.
The debate reflects a wider disagreement over whether Nigeria’s current economic reforms should be maintained or substantially revised.
Reuters reports that Tinubu’s removal of the fuel subsidy and changes to the naira have improved investor confidence but have also contributed to a severe cost-of-living crisis, making the economy a central issue in the 2027 election.
With the campaign season now underway, the opposing positions are likely to remain central to the economic arguments between Tinubu and his challengers.