NANS Rejects Atiku's Fuel Subsidy Restoration Proposal

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's plan to restore fuel subsidy if he is elected president in 2027. NANS President Akinteye Babatunde stated that this proposal is a political response to economic hardship rather than a sustainable solution to Nigeria's fiscal challenges.

He emphasized that returning to the old subsidy system without a clear structural framework would recreate previous issues that rendered the policy unsustainable. Akinteye argued that the removal of the fuel subsidy was a necessary economic reform aimed at addressing an unsustainable system that consumed trillions of naira and disproportionately benefited higher fuel consumers.

The statement comes amid renewed political debate over petrol pricing ahead of the 2027 elections. Atiku has maintained that restoring the subsidy would provide relief to Nigerians facing high living costs, clarifying that his position was misrepresented by an aide.

NANS acknowledged the hardship caused by subsidy removal but insisted that resources saved should be used to improve citizens' welfare instead of reverting to the old system.