The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) may restore the petrol subsidy if elected in 2027, its vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said, promising to take necessary measures to reduce fuel prices.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, made the disclosure on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, saying Nigerians were still struggling with the economic effects of the subsidy removal.
President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration, a policy that has since contributed to higher fuel costs and increased pressure on households and businesses.
Kwankwaso argued that the government had yet to address the hardship caused by the decision, adding that tackling corruption in the oil sector should form part of efforts to reduce energy prices.
“We have seen the implication of removing the subsidy from day one in the country till today. Up till now, I think nobody has recovered from that shock of removing the subsidy on that day,” he said.
He said the NDC had considered Nigeria’s economic challenges and the experiences of its leading figures, including its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson.
Kwankwaso described the cost of energy as a major concern, insisting that the party would consider different measures to make life more affordable for Nigerians.
“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high,” he said.
He added, “And our position is we are going to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the price of fuel in this country is taken back, including doing whatever we can, including the subsidy.”
His comments follow Obi’s statement in September that he would restore the petrol subsidy if elected president, but only after tackling corruption.
Obi made the remarks at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 2026 conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, arguing that the alleged mismanagement of savings from subsidy removal under the current administration was not, on its own, sufficient reason to reinstate the policy.
Other presidential hopefuls have also criticised the subsidy removal. Donald Duke, the Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate, said earlier this month that he would seek to reduce petrol prices to about ₦300 per litre if elected in 2027.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, also pledged in August to restore the subsidy if elected.
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