Anyone Praying For Fuel Subsidy Return Do Not Mean Well For Nigeria – Alex Otti

The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has rejected calls for the return of fuel subsidy, saying government support should be focused on production rather than fuel consumption.

Otti stated this during an interview with Arise Television on Friday while speaking on the economic effects of the subsidy removal and his position on the policy.

The governor said he had opposed fuel subsidy for years, arguing that subsidizing consumption encouraged waste and placed a burden on government finances.

“I don’t have a problem supporting production, but consumption should not be subsidized,” Otti said.

Otti said he had written in support of removing fuel subsidy during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the global demand for crude oil dropped sharply.

According to him, the situation at the time created an opportunity for Nigeria to end the subsidy regime.

He also argued that consumers were more likely to use fuel carelessly when they did not bear its full cost.

“You know, as election approaches, people will be making all sorts of arguments, but removing the subsidy was the right thing to be done.

“And I don’t think anybody who is praying that subsidy returns means well for the country,” he said.

Otti further described the subsidy system as prone to abuse, calling it a scam.

He explained that people would have less reason to control their fuel consumption when part of the cost was being paid by the government.

“So if you are being subsidised, you can just blast all vehicles, maybe 20 vehicles, you put all of them on the road because somebody is paying for it,” he said.

The Abia governor acknowledged that removing the subsidy would create hardship for Nigerians, particularly in the short term.

“There will be the pain initially,” he said.

Naija News recalls that President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, shortly after taking office.

The decision ended the system under which the government paid part of the cost of petrol to keep pump prices lower.

The policy led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and added pressure to the cost of transportation and other goods and services.

The subsidy question has remained part of Nigeria’s economic and political debate, with some political figures proposing different forms of government intervention to reduce petrol prices.

In September 2026, President Tinubu also ruled out a return to the old petrol subsidy regime while directing states to expand CNG and electric mass transit schemes to reduce transportation costs.