Atiku’s Subsidy Call Will Return Nigeria to Fuel Queues – Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has warned that calls by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the return of fuel subsidy could reverse gains recorded from the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms.

Yilwatda said reintroducing subsidy could lead to a return of fuel queues and place pressure on government finances, with possible consequences for workers’ wages, education funding, healthcare and infrastructure development.

The APC chairman spoke in Abuja while receiving a delegation of economic stakeholders who visited him to discuss Nigeria’s economy, ongoing reforms and prospects for sustainable growth.

He argued that the subsidy debate should go beyond political rhetoric and consider the fiscal consequences of returning to the previous system.

According to him, while subsidy may provide cheaper petrol in the short term, government would have to divert substantial resources to finance it, potentially reducing funds available for other critical sectors.

“Subsidy may appear attractive because it promises cheaper petrol, but Nigerians must also ask the bigger question: who pays for the subsidy and what happens to the resources that government must divert to finance it?” he said.

Yilwatda recalled that several state governments previously struggled to meet salary and pension obligations, with some unable to pay workers regularly or resorting to partial payments.

He maintained that the removal of fuel subsidy and increased federal allocations to states had improved the fiscal position of many sub-national governments, enabling them to meet salary and pension obligations and undertake development projects.

He therefore urged Nigerians to scrutinise any proposal to restore subsidy and demand clear explanations on how such a policy would be financed and sustained.

On education, the APC chairman warned that reduced government revenues could affect funding for critical programmes, recalling the prolonged disruption of academic activities in Nigerian universities under the previous administration.

He also highlighted the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing it as an important intervention that has expanded access to tertiary education financing and reduced the financial burden on families.

Yilwatda said sustainable government revenue was also necessary to maintain improved workers’ wages under the new minimum wage.

He explained that wage increases could only be sustained if federal and state governments had sufficient resources to meet recurrent obligations without sacrificing spending on infrastructure, education and healthcare.

The APC chairman also cited developments in Nigeria’s financial and digital payment ecosystem, saying improved access to international transactions was creating opportunities for young Nigerians, freelancers, software developers, consultants and content creators.

He urged policymakers to avoid measures that could undermine such progress.

While acknowledging the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy, Yilwatda said the government must continue implementing measures to cushion the impact on vulnerable Nigerians.

“The hardship Nigerians have experienced is real, and government must continue to respond to it. But the answer cannot simply be to return to a system whose long-term fiscal implications created serious distortions in our economy,” he said.

He challenged political leaders advocating a return to subsidy to explain its projected cost, funding source, duration and long-term sustainability.

“Whenever anybody proposes a return to subsidy, Nigerians should ask: how much will it cost? Where will the money come from? What programmes will be sacrificed to finance it? And for how long can the government sustain it?” Yilwatda asked.

He reaffirmed the APC-led Federal Government’s commitment to economic reforms aimed at building a productive, competitive and sustainable economy.

The APC chairman called on economic stakeholders, labour organisations, businesses and citizens to engage constructively with government to improve the reforms and ensure that their benefits are more widely shared.

He said Nigeria’s economic future should be driven by policies capable of delivering sustainable growth, employment, investment and improved living standards rather than short-term political considerations.

The statement was signed by Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser to the APC National Chairman on Media and Information Strategy, on August 30, 2026.