2 days ago
Nigeria APC Chairman Rejects Atiku’s Plan to Restore Fuel Subsidy
Nigeria’s government stopped paying a fuel subsidy, which helped increase money available to states but also made life more expensive for many people.
APC Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda says bringing the subsidy back could reduce government income.
He worries this could make it harder to pay workers and pensioners.
It could also affect the new minimum wage and funding for schools and hospitals.
Yilwatda said student financing through NELFUND might also be affected.
He agrees that people are facing hardship and says the government should help vulnerable citizens.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar wants to restore petrol subsidy if he becomes president in 2027.
Atiku says the policy could lower transport and food costs and help people afford more.
APC Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda warned that restoring fuel subsidy could undermine Nigeria’s economic reforms.
Yilwatda said subsidy payments could reduce government revenue and pressure federal and state finances.
He linked available revenue to funding the new minimum wage, salaries, pensions, infrastructure, education and healthcare.
Yilwatda said reduced revenue could affect NELFUND’s support for tertiary education financing and other economic opportunities.
Atiku Abubakar has pledged to restore petrol subsidy in 2027 to reduce transport and food costs and improve purchasing power.
- Who
- APC Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
- What
- Yilwatda criticized Atiku’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy, while Atiku defended it as a way to reduce living costs.
- Where
- Yilwatda spoke in Abuja, Nigeria.
- When
- The remarks were made amid Atiku’s pledge to restore subsidy if elected president in 2027.
- Why
- Yilwatda said restoring subsidy could reduce government revenue and threaten funding for wages, pensions, education, healthcare and development; Atiku said it would reduce transport and food costs.
Supporters of Restoring Subsidy
Opponents of Restoring Subsidy
Cost of living
Supporters of Restoring Subsidy
Atiku says restoring petrol subsidy would lower transport and food costs and restore Nigerians’ purchasing power.
Opponents of Restoring Subsidy
Yilwatda argues that returning to subsidy could weaken government finances and undermine longer-term economic reforms.
How the policy should work
Supporters of Restoring Subsidy
Atiku says his plan would focus on reducing production and energy costs rather than returning to the former subsidy regime.
Opponents of Restoring Subsidy
Yilwatda challenges proponents to explain the policy’s cost, funding source, affected programmes and sustainability.
Government support
Supporters of Restoring Subsidy
Atiku’s proposal is presented as relief from rising living costs.
Opponents of Restoring Subsidy
Yilwatda supports cushioning vulnerable citizens but says assistance should not require returning to an expensive and fiscally unsustainable subsidy system.
Key facts
- Speaker
- Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress
- Proposal
- Atiku Abubakar has pledged to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027
- Yilwatda’s concern
- A restored subsidy could place pressure on government finances and reverse reform gains
- State finances
- Yilwatda said subsidy removal increased federal allocations to states
- Potentially affected areas
- Minimum-wage obligations, salaries, pensions, infrastructure, education and healthcare
- Education intervention
- The Nigeria Education Loan Fund has expanded access to tertiary education financing
- Public hardship
- Yilwatda acknowledged that Nigerians have experienced hardship since subsidy removal
Sources
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