The Presidency has explained why President Bola Tinubu has refused to restore fuel subsidy despite growing public pressure over rising fuel prices and economic hardship.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, said the previous subsidy regime mainly benefited fraudulent operators rather than ordinary Nigerians.
According to Bwala, the fuel subsidy system had been heavily abused within the petroleum sector.
He alleged that many of the beneficiaries were not even Nigerians, describing the industry as one filled with fraudulent activities and corruption.
He stated that the Tinubu administration does not oppose subsidies entirely but prefers targeted interventions that directly benefit citizens.
Bwala pointed to government support in sectors such as healthcare and agriculture, noting that dialysis treatment and some agricultural inputs currently receive government subsidies.
The presidential aide also said state governors have experienced increased revenues following the removal of fuel subsidy.
According to him, President Tinubu’s leadership style remains flexible and pragmatic, suggesting that the administration could reconsider certain economic policies if necessary.
He added that borrowing is also being approached as a policy tool where needed, referencing the President’s earlier remarks that borrowing is “not leprosy.”
Fuel subsidy removal remains one of the most debated economic decisions of the Tinubu administration, with supporters arguing it was necessary to reduce waste and improve public finances, while critics blame it for worsening inflation and the rising cost of living across Nigeria.
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