KEY POINTS
- Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso says the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) will consider restoring petrol subsidy to reduce fuel prices if elected in 2027.
- The vice-presidential candidate says high energy costs continue to place pressure on Nigerians.
- Presidential candidate Peter Obi has also said he would restore the subsidy after tackling corruption.
- Other presidential candidates, including Donald Duke and Atiku Abubakar, have proposed reducing fuel prices or reinstating the subsidy.
MAIN STORY
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has said the party may restore the petrol subsidy if elected in the 2027 presidential election as part of efforts to reduce fuel prices.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, made the statement on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He said the party would consider measures to bring down petrol prices, including reinstating the subsidy.
President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration. The policy has remained a major issue in Nigeria’s economic and political debate, with rising energy costs adding to the financial pressure on households and businesses.
Kwankwaso said Nigerians had yet to recover from the economic shock associated with the policy. He also argued that tackling corruption in the oil industry should form part of efforts to address the high cost of fuel.
“We have seen the implication of removing the subsidy from day one in the country till today. Up till now, I think nobody has recovered from that shock of removing the subsidy on that day,” he said.
According to Kwankwaso, the NDC leadership had examined the issue, drawing on the experiences of its political figures, including presidential candidate Peter Obi’s tenure in Anambra State and his own time as governor of Kano State.
He said the party considered current energy prices too high and would pursue measures to reduce the cost of fuel.
“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high,” Kwankwaso said.
“And our position is we are going to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the price of fuel in this country is taken back, including doing whatever we can, including the subsidy.”
His comments follow a statement by Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, who said his administration would restore the petrol subsidy after addressing corruption. Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 2026 conference in Port Harcourt in September, Obi argued that the current administration’s handling of the gains from subsidy removal did not, on its own, justify reinstating the policy.
Other presidential candidates have also made fuel prices and subsidy policy part of their proposed economic agendas ahead of the 2027 election.
Donald Duke, presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), said earlier this month that he would reduce petrol prices to about ₦300 per litre if elected. Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said in August that he would restore the subsidy if elected president.
THE ISSUES
The debate centres on how to make fuel more affordable while addressing the fiscal and governance implications of subsidising petrol.
Restoring the subsidy could reduce the amount consumers pay at the pump if the government absorbs part of the cost. However, the proposal also raises questions about public spending, how the subsidy would be funded and whether measures to tackle corruption in the oil sector would be sufficient to prevent abuse.
Kwankwaso’s remarks indicate that the NDC is willing to consider reinstatement, but the statement does not set out the proposed subsidy structure, its cost or how the party would finance it.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“We have seen the implication of removing the subsidy from day one in the country till today. Up till now, I think nobody has recovered from that shock of removing the subsidy on that day.” – Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the NDC
“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high.” – Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the NDC
“And our position is we are going to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the price of fuel in this country is taken back, including doing whatever we can, including the subsidy.” – Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the NDC
WHAT’S NEXT
The NDC’s position on petrol subsidy is likely to remain part of its economic messaging ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Further details on how the party would reduce fuel prices, finance any subsidy and address corruption in the oil industry would be needed to clarify how the proposal would work in practice.
BOTTOM LINE
Kwankwaso says the NDC would consider restoring petrol subsidy if elected in 2027, placing fuel affordability and the management of the subsidy at the centre of the party’s proposed response to Nigeria’s high energy costs.
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