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Onoh Urges Nigerians To Support Fuel Subsidy Removal, Gives Reasons
Dr. Josef Onoh, a former spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu in the south east, has emphasized the importance of removing Nigeria’s high expenditure on petroleum subsidy. According to him, redirecting these funds towards other sectors of the economy would directly improve the lives of middle and low-income citizens.
Although President Tinubu has not officially announced the withdrawal of the controversial oil subsidy, Dr. Onoh urges Nigerians to consider the actions of other countries, particularly in Africa, that have taken the bold step of eliminating the substantial costs associated with subsidizing the consumption of foreign petroleum products.
He highlights that such subsidies often disproportionately benefit the wealthy, who own multiple vehicles, rather than the poor citizens who rely on public transportation systems.
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Onoh urged Nigerians and whichever groups that are warming up for agitation against the new government of Bola Tinubu to be critical and understand that President Tinubu did not remove the oil subsidy by himself, but should know that no provision was made in the 2023 appropriation to fund the luxury of subsidizing the importation of petroleum products which as at today stands at $867 million or N400 billion every month, for products that are essentially consumed by the upper class or go out the country through smuggling, because the products are cheaper in Nigeria than its neighboring countries.
Onoh cited other African countries that had done away with oil subsidy such as Ghana that was spending $25.6 million every two weeks on fuel subsidy before the country cut off the strangulating yoke and had become free and stable after the old Gold Coast liberated itself from the subsidy bondage.
He also made a comparison with Republic of Cameroon which removed subsidy on oil and deregulated its markets, adding that even Nigeria experts such as the President of African Development Bank (ADB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina had also prescribed the removal of oil subsidy with its high cost on the Nigerian economy of $10 billion in 2022.
Citing more instances of other African countries that have made testimonies of their break through with the removal of subsidy in oil, Onoh gave the example of Egypt which in 2019 broke off completely with the subsidy oppression and implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic overhaul template, even when gasoline, diesel and kerosene were sold at 85 to 90 percent international cost within Egypt before it completely broke the yoke and liberated the country from the economic strangulation.
Onoh said that it was not only Tinubu who agreed that subsidy on oil should be removed, recalling that during electioneering campaign period and debates, all the presidential candidates of different political parties supported removal of oil subsidy.
“Ghana removed the subsidy after 30 years, and if you look at the progress and the economic stability in the present day Ghana, Nigerians will know that we cannot continue with oil subsidy at the detriment of our economic stability. Both the rich and the poor will face hardship but we should look at the collected benefit rather than the immediate hardship.
“There is no other way because we are caught in-between the devil and the deep blue sea. There is no way we can continue benefiting the rich while the poor get poorer. The only way we can have a balanced economy is when even the poor can have access to these basic needs. In the short term, the removal will cause panic but the cabals behind the refusal to remove the fuel subsidy are the greatest beneficiaries of that subsidy.
“So, they will play in the minds of the innocent poor, trying to make it look as if the government is against the poor, but the Tinubu administration is eager to balance our economy just like other countries have done. We should sustain that confidence,” Onoh said.
He noted that Canadian government, United Kingdom, the United States of America and other foreign countries will all show more confidence in the Nigeria economy.
“But we also need to show that we want our economy to grow and we cannot continue to rely on half term measures, riding on a Tiger’s back, not thinking it could as well turn around to kill us. So we should back this administration.
“The test of our Progress is not whether we avoid temporarily removing the fuel subsidy out of fear of hardship for Nigerians which in turn will add to the abundance of those who have much and beneficiaries of the subsidy, rather it is whether the current administration provides enough after it’s removal for those who have too little,”Onoh encouraged.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has restored bulk power supply to its Katampe 330kV Transmission Substation in Abuja following an earlier disruption caused by a fault on the Shiroro–Katampe 330kV Line 1.
The development was disclosed in a statement released by TCN management on Friday, October 9, 2026.
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According to the statement, bulk power supply was restored to the Katampe substation at 4:15 p.m. through the Gwagwalada–Katampe 330kV Line 1.
TCN explained that the Shiroro–Katampe 330kV Line 1 remains out of service due to a fault, necessitating the use of the Gwagwalada–Katampe line to restore supply to the substation.
The company also announced the suspension of planned maintenance work on the Gwagwalada–Katampe 330kV Line 1 to enable the line to continue supplying the Katampe substation.
The suspended maintenance work involved replacing defective line isolators and the associated earthing switch.
TCN apologised to electricity consumers in the affected areas for any inconvenience caused by the disruption and maintenance arrangements.
The Federal Government has warned politicians against making promises that could reverse Nigeria’s economic reforms, insisting that it will not restore fuel subsidy amid renewed debate over the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPC) petrol discount.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, saying the government would not bring back subsidies on petroleum products.
“This government is not bringing back subsidy on fuel products. We need to be clear,” Oyedele said.
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The minister also criticised politicians who, according to him, make promises to win elections without fully considering the implications of implementing them.
He suggested that some politicians make sweeping promises during election campaigns only to offer excuses when confronted with the realities of governance.
“I think I would pardon people who say all manner of things because they want to get elected. It’s almost like ‘whatever I need to say, when I get there, I’ll give excuses.’ But we have the data,” he said.
Oyedele added that he felt a personal responsibility not to remain silent about the economic realities known to the government or allow populist positions to push Nigeria in the wrong direction.
“I feel the personal responsibility that I cannot see what I see and keep quiet, or populism to move our country in the wrong direction,” he said.
NNPC Petrol Discount Sparks Fresh Subsidy Debate
The minister’s remarks come amid renewed debate over fuel subsidy following the Federal Government’s announcement of a 30-day petrol discount at NNPC retail stations.
The initiative was introduced as a temporary measure to provide relief to Nigerians amid elevated global crude oil prices and concerns about the cost of petroleum products.
NNPC Retail had also announced a N66-per-litre petrol discount to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, with the offer scheduled to run until October 31, 2026, across its retail stations nationwide.
The company maintained that the discount was a customer-relief initiative and did not represent a return to the petroleum subsidy regime.
The distinction has become central to the debate, with the government insisting that temporary price relief at NNPC stations does not amount to restoring the subsidy policy abolished in May 2023.
The administration has maintained that the current arrangement differs from the former subsidy system, under which the government intervened to cover part of the cost of petrol.
FG Defends Economic Reforms
During the interview, Oyedele also referred to a World Bank update, saying the institution had acknowledged a reduction in poverty levels and increased spending on infrastructure, particularly roads.
He urged Nigerians not to reverse the progress he said had been made, arguing that the country was approaching a point where the benefits of ongoing reforms should begin to emerge.
The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has commenced a promotion exercise for 24,000 eligible staff as part of efforts to clear outstanding teachers’ promotions dating back to 2021.
The development was disclosed on Friday as the administration of Governor Uba Sani intensifies efforts to address promotion backlogs, recognise teachers’ years of service and improve staff welfare across the state.
The exercise covers outstanding promotions from 2021 to 2026 and is expected to provide eligible teachers and other staff with opportunities for career progression.
SEE ALSO: Kaduna Clears N18bn Pension Arrears, Raises Agric Funding to N100bn
According to the announcement, eligible personnel will undergo an assessment process, after which promotions will be implemented for those who successfully meet the requirements.
The initiative is part of efforts to strengthen the education sector by recognising the contributions of teachers and supporting their professional development.
The state government has emphasised the importance of investing in teachers, noting that a motivated and valued teaching workforce is essential to building a stronger education system.
The exercise is also expected to address long-standing staff concerns relating to career advancement within the state’s basic education sector.
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