Gịnị bụ ụzọ gị maka mgbanwe subsidi mmanụ ọkụ na ibelata mmetụta ya n'ọnụ ahịa ndụ?
Nke a bụ ihe m gaara eme, na ihe m kwenyere na ya, gbasara subsidy.
Mụ onwe m na-ekwu mgbe niile na iwepu subsidy mmanụ ochie bụ ihe dị mkpa n'ụzọ ozizi. Ọ ghọọla ihe na-emicha akụ na ụba anyị, ihe na-adịghị edo edo, nke jupụtara n'ohere maka ime ihe n'otu n'otu na nrụrụ aka, ebe uru buru ibu na-aga n'aka ndị otu nzuzo nọ n'ụlọ ọrụ gọọmentị na nke ndị onwe onye. Ya mere, ajụjụ ahụ abụbeghị ma a ga-akwụsị ya, kama ọ bụ otú a ga-esi kwụsị ya.
Nke mbụ, agaara m ebuso nrụrụ aka agha kpam kpam. Nke ahụ pụtara ịmalite site na ịhazigharị ụlọ ọrụ mmanụ mba, ebe ọ bụ na ọ bụ otu n'ime ndị ji uru buru ibu nweta n'ihe omume ochie ahụ, na nraranye ya n'imezigharị adịghị ihe a ga-ewere dị ka ihe doro anya.
Nke abụọ, agaara m elekwasị anya n'idozi ikike mmanụ ịsa aka Nigeria. Anyị dị ala n'etiti mba ndị na-emepụta mmanụ gbasara ego ole ikike nrụpụta mmanụ ewuru eju eme ihe n'ezie, na ole crude anyị na-asa aka na mba anyị. Agaara m amalite ibunye ụlọ ọrụ nsacha mmanụ nke gọọmentị nwere n'aka ndị onwe onye, ma na-arụkwa ọrụ ka Nigeria na-asa aka n'ihe ruru ọkara n'ihe crude ọ na-emepụta, na nzube ịbupụ akụkụ ikike nsacha ahụ gaa ndị agbata obi anyị dị na mpaghara ahụ.
Nke atọ, ekwenyere m na ụzọ nke jiri nwayọ nwayọ, ọ bụghị iwepu na mberede ma zuo oke. Mgbe m na-arụ ọrụ dị ka Osote Onye Isi Ala, anyị gbasoro ụzọ a ma mechaa akụkụ abụọ nke mgbanwe ahụ tupu anyị ahapụ oche ahụ, na-ebubata mmụba ọnụ ahịa nwayọ nwayọ karịa iti usuu ahụ niile n'otu ntabi anya. Nke a bụ otú ọtụtụ mba ndị ọzọ si jikwaa mgbanwe ahụ, ụfọdụ na-ewe ruo afọ 5. Ụzọ nwayọ nwayọ na-enye ndị mmadụ ohere ịgbanwe ma belata nkwatu na ndụ kwa ụbọchị gị.
Nke anọ, nke a dịkarịsịrị mkpa nye gị na ezinụlọ gị: agaara m ebunye usoro nchebe ọha na eze siri ike iji nyere gị aka ijikwa ọnụ ahịa ndụ ka mgbanwe ndị a na-ejide ọnọdụ. Ihe a chekwara site n'iwepu subsidy ahụ kwesịrị ịgafe n'imewanye ike akụ na ụba n'ezie, idozi ma wulie ihe onwunwe, imeziwanye agụmakwụkwọ na ahụike, imepe ihe onwunwe mpaghara ime obodo, ịkwado ndụ ịzụ ahịa n'ọrụ ugbo, na iwulite nkà na ikike ịzụ ahịa nke ụmụ okorobịa anyị ka ha nwee ike ịnweta ohere ka mma.
Ihe m tụpụtara ka a ga-eme n'ihu dị iche n'ụdị ya site n'ihe e mere: subsidy nrụpụta, ọ bụghị subsidy mbubata, jikọtara na usoro nchebe na nhazi ntụgharị nke m kwenyere na ọ ga-eso mgbe a na-ewepụ ya kemgbe mmalite.
A sụgharịrị azịza ndị dị na peeji a site na Bekee site na igwe, ọ bụkwa na onye nsụgharị elelebeghị ha.
Ebe nke a si abịa
peeji 7 Introduction Atiku Abubakar: Answers to questions from the public 2026-10-02 ›
Q44: Oil spills and pollution have destroyed farms, fishing and livelihoods in Niger Delta communities. How will you clean up affected areas, compensate communities and hold responsible oil companies accountable? Answer: My administration will accelerate the Ogoni cleanup, strictly enforce environmental restoration across all oil-producing areas, and apply strict "polluter pays" legal liabilities to non- compliant oil majors. Q45: Flooding and erosion are destroying farms, roads and homes in many communities. What is your national plan for managing these environmental and climate-related risks? Answer: My plan executes a National Flood and Erosion Management Plan that dredges the River Niger and River Benue, manages dam releases systematically, and directs the Ecological Fund straight to vulnerable communities. Q46: Illegal mining is polluting rivers and destroying farmland.
Thread on X Thread by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1718948336344936730 2023-10-30 ›
What we have currently is akin to asking thieves to keep their loot and use the same to defend themselves while the case of their robbery is being decided. It only encourages mandate banditry rather than discourages it.
Thirdly, in order to ensure popular mandate and real representation, we must move to require a candidate for President to earn 50% +1 of the valid votes cast, failing which a run-off between the top two candidates will be held. Most countries that elect their presidents use this Two-Round System (with slight variations) rather than our current First-Past-the-Post system.
Examples include France, Finland, Austria, Bulgaria, Portugal, Poland, Turkey and Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar and even Liberia where a run-off is expected to hold in the coming days.
Fourthly, in order to reduce the desperation of incumbents and distractions from governing and also to promote equity and national unity, we need to move to a single six-year term for President to be rotated among the six geo-political zones. This will prevent the ganging up of two or more geo-political zones to alternate the presidency among themselves to the exclusion of other zones.
Post on X Post by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1798420836283519275 2024-06-05 ›
President Bola Tinubu, at his inauguration on May 29, 2023, announced the abolishment of the subsidy on PMS, popularly known as fuel.
Ever since, it has been a bragging right of Tinubu and officials of his administration.
I had in my statement reviewing the one year of the Bola Tinubu administration urged the government to come clean on the actual position of the subsidy policy.
These were my exact words: "...provide clarity on the fuel subsidy regime, including the fiscal commitments and benefits from the fuel subsidy reform and the impact of this on the Federation Accounts. It is curious that since April 2024, fuel queues have mounted at many filling stations across Nigeria, and the infamous ‘black market’ has sprouted in several states. How much PMS is being imported and distributed, and at what cost? What is the implicit subsidy?"
If the subsidy regime had been characterised by opaqueness, what would we say of a situation where the subsidy is still being paid under the cover without Nigerians in the know?
Thread on X Thread by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1853078096372535359 2024-11-03 ›
We would have been guided by my robust reform agenda as encapsulated in 'My Covenant With Nigerians', my policy document that sought to, among others, protect our fragile economy against much deeper crisis by preventing business collapse; our document had spelt out policies that were consistent and coherent.
We would have sequenced my reforms to achieve fiscal and monetary congruence. Unleashing reforms to determine an appropriate exchange rate, cost-reflective electricity tariff, and PMS price at one and the same time is certainly an overkill. Add CBN’s bullish money tightening spree. As importers of PMS and other petroleum products, removing subsidy on these products without a stable exchange rate would be counterproductive.
We would have been more strategic in our response to reform fallout. We would not over-estimate the efficacy of the reform measures or underestimate the potential costs of reforms. I would recognise that reforms could sometimes fail. I would not underestimate the numerous delivery challenges, including the weaknesses of our institutions, and would work assiduously to correct the same. I would, as a responsible leader, pause, reflect, and where necessary, review implementation.
Thread on X Thread by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1853078096372535359 2024-11-03 ›
SUBSIDY REMOVAL
Yes, I have always advocated for the removal of subsidy on PMS because its administration has been mildly put, opaque with so much scope for arbitrariness and corruption. Mind boggling rent profit from oil subsidy accrued to the cabals in public institutions and the private sector.
I would have prioritized the following:
First, tackling corruption. Fighting corruption should have commenced with the repositioning of the NNPCL, which is a huge beneficiary of the status quo. Its commitment to reform and capacity to implement and enforce reforms is suspect. The subsidy regime has provided an avenue for rent seeking, and the NNPCL and its guardians will be threatened by reforms.
Second, paying particular attention to Nigeria’s poor refining infrastructure. We are by far the most inefficient OPEC member country in terms of both the percentage of installed refining capacity that works and the percentage of crude refined. We would’ve commenced the privatization of all state-owned refineries and ensure that Nigeria starts to refine at least 50% of its current crude oil output. Nigeria should aspire to export 50% of that capacity to ECOWAS member states.
Thread on X Thread by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1853078096372535359 2024-11-03 ›
Third, adopt a gradualist approach in the implementation of the subsidy reforms. Subsidies would not have been removed suddenly and completely. It is instructive that when I was Vice President, we adopted a gradualist approach and had completed phases 1 and 2 of the reform before our tenure ended. The incoming administration in 2007 abandoned the reforms, unfortunately. The majority of the countries that review or rationalize subsidy payments adopt a gradualist approach by phasing price increases or shifting from universal to targeted approach (Malaysia, 2022 and Indonesia, 2022 -2023). In many EU economies, complete withdrawal often takes 5 years to effect. The gradualist approach allows for adjustments, adaptation and minimizes disruptions and vulnerability.
Fourth, implement a robust social protection programme that will support the poor in navigating the cost-of-living challenges arising largely from reform implementation. We would’ve invested the savings from subsidy withdrawal to strengthen the productive base of the economy through infrastructure maintenance and development; to improve outcomes in education and healthcare delivery; to improve rural infrastructure and support livelihood expansion in agriculture; and develop the skills and entrepreneurial capacity of our youth in order to enhance their access to better economic opportunities.
Thread on X Thread by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2050126729478304027 2026-05-01 ›
The Nigerian worker, the teacher, the nurse, the factory hand, the civil servant, the artisan, has been the primary victim of an administration that, by all observable evidence, is far more interested in increasing the revenue at its disposal than in improving the lives of the citizens it governs.
Trillions Saved, But Nothing Felt.
The fuel subsidy removal was a necessary step, recklessly executed.
Let me be clear: the removal of the fuel subsidy was, in principle, a policy that many, including myself, had long advocated. The subsidy had become a fiscal haemorrhage that enriched cabal middlemen while denying the government of the resources needed for development. Its removal was necessary and overdue.
But the manner in which the Tinubu administration executed this policy was irresponsible and callous. On the day of inauguration, with no preparation, no safety nets, no cushioning mechanisms, and no transition plan for ordinary Nigerians, the President announced the end of the subsidy. The price of fuel skyrocketed. Transportation costs doubled and tripled overnight. The cost of food and basic goods hit the roof. The Nigerian worker, who was already struggling to survive on a salary eroded by years of inflation, was suddenly confronted with a cost of living that made mere survival feel like a luxury.
Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2098441590184264064 2026-09-11 ›
The Presidency turned it into a campaign of fear. “A refinery that has invested billions of dollars cannot be commanded to sell indefinitely below cost and absorb the losses. That would be reckless, economically destructive and unfair to any private investor. “But that is precisely why our proposal is different. “We are restoring subsidy through a production subsidy model, not an import subsidy model. “The difference is simple enough for every Nigerian to understand. Import subsidy spends public money supporting petrol refined abroad and brought into Nigeria. Production subsidy supports crude refined here in Nigeria so that Nigerian refineries can produce fuel more cheaply and Nigerians can pay less. “Think of it like rice.
Post on X Post by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2098476924813115799 2026-09-11 ›
My dear Francis, thank you for taking the time to truly understand what I am proposing. That means a great deal to me.
I am not restoring subsidy so that Nigeria can keep paying for imported petrol. I am restoring subsidy so that Nigerians can produce more at home, pay less for fuel, and keep more money in their pockets.
That is the difference between import subsidy and production subsidy.
Think about shoes. If government wants Nigerians to buy shoes more cheaply, it can spend public money making imported shoes cheaper, or it can support shoemakers in Aba to reduce their production costs so they can make more shoes here, employ more Nigerians and sell at more affordable prices.
I choose the Aba shoemaker.
I will do the same with fuel. We will support crude refined in Nigeria so our refineries can produce at a lower cost and you can pay less.
But for me, this is bigger than fuel.
I want the bus fare you pay every morning to come down. I want the cost of taking food from the farm to the market to come down. I want the trader to spend less. I want the barber, tailor, welder and small business owner to spend less on energy.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-12 ›
I have long held that Nigeria's refineries should be privatized. I would not waste as much as $3 billion in such a frivolous manner. If elected president, I will privatize the refineries in order to promote Nigeria's capacity for crude oil refining. Only qualified investors will be allowed to take over the refineries.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-12 ›
I have not held different positions on whether subsidy should go. I said removing the old fuel subsidy was, in principle, necessary and overdue, since it was a fiscal haemorrhage that enriched middlemen. What I called wrong was how Tinubu executed it, with no safety nets or transition plan, and that is separate from my current proposal, which is a production subsidy, not an import subsidy.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-12 ›
I supported removing the subsidy in principle, because it was a fiscal haemorrhage enriching middlemen. What I opposed was how Tinubu executed it, with no safety nets or transition plan, which doubled and tripled transport and food costs overnight.
What I now propose is different from that old import subsidy: a production subsidy, supporting crude refined here in Nigeria so domestic refineries produce more cheaply and Nigerians pay less, not paying for fuel refined abroad.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On the cost of living, I refuse to accept an approach where government simply watches prices rise and tells struggling citizens to endure. My proposed petroleum intervention is a production subsidy, not a return to subsidising imported petrol. It provides targeted support tied to crude refined domestically, with the intervention capped, transparently budgeted and independently audited. My argument is that we must reduce the cost of energy so that salaries buy more, reduce transport costs so that less of a worker's wage disappears just getting to work, reduce the cost of moving food so families spend less in the market, and reduce the cost of living so that after food, rent and transportation, parents and students have more money left. I place affordability at the centre of my economic programme, because when fuel becomes expensive, transporting food, taking goods to market, moving children to school, running a neighbourhood grinding machine, and powering a small shop all become more expensive, and that cost eventually arrives at the dinner table.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On tackling crude oil theft, my approach is to treat securing our national oil and gas assets as being just as important as securing the lives and property of Nigerians. I am not comfortable with a situation where government commits tens of trillions of Naira to the security of oil assets while the lives of Nigerians, who are the powerbase of our economy's productivity, are left behind.
My plan is to enhance our national security protocols broadly, by strengthening law enforcement through recruiting more manpower and deploying advanced technology to deal with all dimensions of criminality, which includes oil theft.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On rising fuel costs, I have always believed the removal of the fuel subsidy was necessary, because it had become a drain that enriched middlemen. What I would prioritise is tackling corruption, starting with repositioning the NNPCL, and paying attention to our poor refining infrastructure. I would commence privatisation of state-owned refineries and work to ensure Nigeria refines at least 50% of its own crude output, with an aspiration to export 50% of that capacity to ECOWAS countries. Alongside this, I want to reduce the cost of energy itself, so it goes further in your pocket.
On unemployment, I am putting in place a financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs, so young Nigerians can move from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity.
On the high cost of education, my approach will reduce the underlying cost of education and provide forgiveness for qualifying student debts. My administration will provide non-repayable scholarships, grants and bursaries instead of forcing students into debt, while forgiving existing student loan obligations and directly reducing university tuition costs for low-income families.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On making reforms felt in your pocket and home, I have said that a competent government should be able to protect both the producer and the consumer, and that economic reform must have a human face, affordable food, cheaper transportation, accessible healthcare, decent jobs. My plan is to reduce the cost of energy so your salary buys more, reduce transport costs, and reduce the cost of moving food, so your family keeps more of what it earns. I believe every policy, from economic reform to security to social protection, must be measured by its impact on citizens, and that reform must be sequenced, supported and humane, so that Nigerians are not pushed further into hardship in the process. I will not treat budget reviews or reform rollouts as a one-time announcement. I am prepared to pause, reflect, and where necessary, review implementation, rather than assume reforms are working simply because they have been announced.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On the cost of living, I will pursue a targeted production subsidy for fuel refined here in Nigeria, rather than going back to an open-ended subsidy on imported fuel. This will support Nigerian refining, create Nigerian jobs, cut waste, and make sure government support delivers a measurable benefit to you, the consumer. My objective is clear: lower the cost of energy, lower transportation and production costs, strengthen what Nigeria produces, and restore your purchasing power. That is how I will give families breathing room again.
On poverty, my policy expands cash transfers to poor households, tied to school attendance and child vaccination, alongside a revitalised national school feeding scheme.
And because I believe Nigerians deserve more than promises, my administration will launch an online Promise Tracker, publishing live budget spending, contract awards, and performance results, so you can see for yourself whether these commitments are being kept, and hold my government accountable.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
Wa alaikum assalam, and thank you for writing to me.
On subsidy, let me be clear about what I am proposing. I am not bringing back the old subsidy on imported fuel. I am restoring a subsidy that supports crude refined here in Nigeria. This means government support goes to Nigerian refining, not to paying for fuel brought in from outside. The goal is that our refineries produce at lower cost, so you pay less at the pump, and that support actually translates into lower prices for you, not waste.
This is bigger than fuel for me. I want the bus fare you pay every morning to come down. I want the cost of moving food from farm to market to come down. I want the trader, the barber, the tailor, the welder, the small business owner, to spend less on energy to run their work.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
Sources: • Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2103133598534574587, 2026-09-24 (Article on X) "The former Vice President reiterated his commitment to policies designed to reduce the cost of living if elected president, including a targeted production s…" • Thread by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1853078096372535359, 2024-11-03 (Thread on X) "Third, adopt a gradualist approach in the implementation of the subsidy reforms. Subsidies would not have been removed suddenly and completely. It is instruc…" • Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2087552029358956958, 2026-08-12 (Article on X) "Nigeria cannot continue asking competent young people to wait outside the room while their future is being decided inside it.
peeji 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On fuel prices, I am not proposing a return to subsidising imported petrol, and I have not set out a specific naira amount I would bring the price down to. What I am proposing is a Production Subsidy Model: support tied to fuel refined here in Nigeria, including from modular refineries, that lowers crude supply prices or gives fiscal relief on inputs to local refiners. This reduces refining costs at home so pump prices can come down, without forcing refiners into losses. Imported petrol will not qualify. The subsidy will be capped and budgeted, funded from domestic crude sales, with costs published and payments independently audited, and government waste cut to help fund it. Global price shocks will be managed through fiscal stabilization buffers and oil revenue hedging tools.
On whether prices would return to what they were before the 2023 elections, I have not said that. What I have said is that I want the bus fare you pay every morning to come down, the cost of moving food from farm to market to come down, and for the trader, barber, tailor, welder and small business owner to spend less on energy. The goal is for Nigerians to produce more at home, pay less for fuel, and keep more money in their pockets, so you pay less, not that any particular past price will return.