By SUNTV Global Channel
August 24, 2026
Political commentator and writer SKC Ogbonnia has called on the Nigerian government to reverse the removal of the country’s fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy has placed an unbearable economic burden on millions of Nigerians.
In an opinion article, Ogbonnia argued that Nigeria’s fundamental problem was not the existence of an oil subsidy but corruption within the subsidy system.
He said he had warned about the consequences of removing the subsidy as far back as 2015, when he published an article titled “Removing the Oil Subsidy Is a Lame Excuse.”
According to him, the economic difficulties Nigerians have experienced since the subsidy was removed demonstrate that the policy requires urgent reconsideration.
Ogbonnia criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for maintaining the policy despite what he described as its damaging effects on households and businesses.
He argued that government should protect citizens from the volatility of international markets rather than expose them directly to global fuel prices without adequate social protection.
The writer maintained that increased allocations to state governments from federation revenue could not, by themselves, demonstrate economic progress if inflation had simultaneously eroded the purchasing power of Nigerians.
He argued that nominal increases in government revenue mean little to citizens struggling with rising food, transportation, energy and other living costs.
Ogbonnia also criticised the disparity between Nigerian wages and fuel prices, pointing to Nigeria’s minimum wage of ₦70,000 and arguing that many Nigerians cannot reasonably afford fuel priced according to international market conditions.
He maintained that countries with substantial oil resources have historically used energy policies to support domestic production and reduce pressure on their citizens.
According to him, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Venezuela have maintained policies aimed at keeping domestic energy costs below international market levels.
He also argued that subsidies are not necessarily incompatible with advanced capitalist economies, noting that governments in countries such as the United States and United Kingdom provide financial support to strategic sectors and households in different forms.
For Nigeria, Ogbonnia said fuel remains critical to virtually every aspect of economic life.
He noted that petrol prices directly affect transportation, small businesses, electricity generation and the cost of moving agricultural produce and other goods from producers to consumers.
He therefore argued that removing the subsidy without providing reliable electricity, affordable mass transportation and an effective social safety net had intensified the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
Ogbonnia further rejected the argument that widespread corruption within the former subsidy regime justified completely eliminating the programme.
He compared the situation to a house with a leaking roof, arguing that government should repair the problem rather than destroy the entire structure.
He called on authorities to target individuals and organisations involved in alleged subsidy fraud, fuel smuggling and manipulation of supply documentation instead of transferring the burden to ordinary Nigerians.
The writer argued that the government possesses sufficient security and financial intelligence institutions to identify, investigate and prosecute those responsible for corruption within the petroleum sector.
He also proposed a number of measures that could accompany the return of a managed subsidy system, including digitising petroleum supply chains, conducting transparent audits of fuel importers, strengthening regulatory oversight, prosecuting corrupt officials and expanding domestic refining capacity.
Ogbonnia maintained that Nigeria should pursue a system that protects consumers while simultaneously eliminating the corruption that previously undermined the subsidy regime.
His central argument was that government should “fight the corruption within the subsidy regime, not the people.”
The opinion has reignited the wider debate over fuel pricing, subsidy policy, inflation and the economic burden facing Nigerian households.
SUNTV Global Channel notes that this report is based on the views expressed by SKC Ogbonnia in an opinion article. The arguments and policy recommendations contained in the article represent the author’s position and do not necessarily reflect the views of SUNTV Global Channel.
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