NANS Rejects Atiku’s Plan to Restore Fuel Subsidy
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.
NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, said on Wednesday that returning to the former subsidy system without addressing its structural problems would place further pressure on the nation’s finances.
According to him, although the removal of the subsidy has caused significant hardship for Nigerians, restoring the old system would not provide a sustainable solution to the country’s economic challenges.
Akinteye said the subsidy regime had consumed trillions of naira, encouraged smuggling and disproportionately benefited those who consumed more petrol, while limiting government’s ability to invest in critical sectors.
Atiku has maintained that he would restore the subsidy if elected in 2027, arguing that the policy would help reduce the burden of rising living costs on Nigerians. His camp has also said the proposed intervention would focus on domestic production and reducing production and transportation costs.
The debate follows the removal of the petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu in May 2023, a decision that led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and contributed to higher transportation, food and household costs.
While acknowledging the hardship caused by the policy, NANS argued that the resources saved from subsidy removal should instead be properly invested in sectors that directly improve Nigerians’ welfare.
The students’ body called for greater investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure and agriculture, saying the success of the reform should be measured by how effectively the government uses the resources saved.
Akinteye urged political aspirants ahead of the 2027 elections to present clear and sustainable economic policies capable of addressing both immediate hardship and the country’s long-term development needs.
He further advised Atiku to reconsider his position, warning that returning to a costly subsidy regime could worsen the government’s financial burden while critical sectors continue to face funding challenges.
NANS maintained that its position was not based on support for any political party or candidate, but on what it described as Nigeria’s long-term economic interests.
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