Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has criticised the removal of fuel subsidy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying the gains have not been channelled into visible infrastructure or public benefits.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Monday from 00:10, August 11, 2025, Lawal recalled previous instances when subsidy removal produced tangible results:
“Subsidy was removed before and we saw the result of the subsidy. When it was it Abacha that removed subsidy, we saw the handwork of PTF — till today you still see some of them, their roads, their hospitals, all the things they did. When Goodluck Jonathan I think removed their subsidy, there was Sure-P in which the gains from the subsidy will be channelled towards infrastructure development and other things that people will see with their own eyes. These ones, they remove subsidy and we don’t see, we don’t see.”
When the interviewer suggested that state governors should be questioned since much of the revenue now goes to them, Lawal replied: “I agree with you to that extent. But what of the federal government that has the bulk of the resources?”
On how he would have handled subsidy removal differently if he were in Tinubu’s position, Lawal questioned the basis of the policy:
“You know, subsidy in my own time, in my own personal opinion, I used to look for where is this subsidy coming from. If at that time Nigerians was giving you crude oil, go and refine it and bring us, reduce the cost from it, and return refined produce to us. I don’t know why the subsidy was going to come into now because we want 10 barrels of refined crude from you, we are going to give you 15 barrels of crude. Refine it and give us 10. You’ve paid through crude. They call it something swap. So, so where was the subsidy? Why are you subsidizing? Nothing. You paid for it. They were giving money to criminals, as simple as that. But I hear they still paying subsidy under this government.”
