Atiku Aide Says Candidate Will Restore Petrol Subsidy Temporarily If Elected in 2027
Abuja, August 25, 2026 — An aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate would restore petrol subsidy if elected in 2027, but only as a temporary measure that would later be phased out once the economy recovers.
Paul Ibe, Atiku’s spokesperson, made the clarification while speaking on AIT on Tuesday. He said the temporary intervention would give Nigerians and businesses breathing space to recover from current economic pressures, stimulate activity and boost productivity.
Ibe stressed that the proposal does not amount to a return to the old, opaque subsidy regime that previously fuelled widespread allegations of corruption and inefficiency.
Instead, he said the support would be deliberately tied to crude oil production and domestic refining.
“We are not returning to Egypt. We are not going back to the old regime that was opaque,” Ibe stated.
“What he’s simply saying is that the subsidy that he is advocating will be tied to the barrel, the crude oil barrel. This is perhaps the only thing that we have in so much abundance that Nigerians have not yet benefited from.”
Under the outlined approach, crude oil would be supplied to local refiners at a discounted rate.
This, according to Ibe, would enable them to produce petrol and diesel at lower costs, which should then translate into more affordable pump prices for consumers.
An independent committee would determine appropriate pricing at the refinery level while monitoring market conditions.
Ibe added that the arrangement would operate within a deregulated environment, with price monitoring rather than rigid price-fixing, and would only remain in place for a defined period before being gradually withdrawn as conditions improve.
The comments come amid ongoing political debate over fuel subsidy policy. Atiku had earlier indicated he would restore some form of support if elected, arguing that the full removal implemented since 2023 had imposed heavy hardship without clear evidence that the savings had sufficiently improved living standards for ordinary Nigerians.
The Tinubu administration and ruling party figures have criticised the shift, describing any restoration as a dangerous reversal of necessary reforms.
Atiku’s camp has framed the idea as part of a broader economic recovery strategy that prioritises domestic refining, transparency and measurable public benefit over permanent open-ended subsidies.
Whether the proposal gains traction with voters ahead of the 2027 election remains to be seen, but it has already reignited sharp discussion about the balance between fiscal reform and immediate relief for citizens.
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