Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that United States President Donald Trump’s energy policy supports his proposal to restore fuel subsidy in Nigeria if elected president in 2027.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said his proposed intervention would not simply return Nigeria to the old subsidy system.
He said his plan would focus on supporting domestic production, expanding local refining and making petrol more affordable for Nigerians.
The former vice president made the position known on Sunday, September 6, 2026, through a statement issued by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu.
The statement was titled, “Atiku boasts of stakeholders, Trump support on fuel subsidy.”
Atiku said the idea behind his proposed “Production Subsidy” was to ensure that government support reaches local producers while also reducing the pressure of high fuel prices on consumers.
“This is why my Production Subsidy is about putting money back into people’s pockets. Support what we produce and refine here, increase supply, monitor the price and make sure Nigerians feel the benefit at the pump.
“CORAN is saying support domestic production. America understands the importance of supporting strategic energy production.
“Yet Tinubu attacks relief for ordinary Nigerians while his government understands perfectly well how to grant waivers, incentives and concessions to multinational oil companies and businesses close to his administration.
“So why does intervention suddenly become bad economics when ordinary Nigerians are meant to benefit?”
Politics Nigeria recalls that President Bola Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy shortly after taking office on May 29, 2023.
The decision immediately changed the price of petrol and was followed by sharp increases in transportation, food and other household expenses.
The Tinubu administration has consistently defended the decision, arguing that the subsidy was costly and had created opportunities for fraud, smuggling and the diversion of public funds.
Atiku has now positioned the return of government intervention as one of the major economic issues of his 2027 campaign.
He has argued that Nigerians should benefit directly from the country’s crude oil resources rather than continue to bear the full impact of international energy prices.
Atiku argued that the American example showed that government intervention in the energy sector should not automatically be treated as an economic mistake.
His argument is that Nigeria can provide targeted support without returning to a system in which large amounts of public money are spent subsidising imported petrol.
The former vice president has previously said his proposed subsidy would be tied to production and refining.
That means the government would support petroleum products produced locally while monitoring supply and prices.
In a related development, Atiku said he did not initially oppose the removal but questioned what had happened to the money the government said would be saved after ending the programme.
“I initially did not oppose the removal of the fuel subsidy. But now that it has been removed, where is the money? Where has the subsidy money gone? Has it been used to improve healthcare, education or security?”
He subsequently made a direct pledge to reverse the policy if elected.
“If I win the presidential election, I will restore the subsidy. And anyone who stole Nigeria’s subsidy funds must return the money.”
The declaration immediately drew reactions from within the government.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike criticised the proposal on August 20, questioning how an Atiku administration would operate a subsidy system under the current petroleum market structure.
Wike also recalled Atiku’s position during the 2023 presidential campaign, when the former vice president had supported removing the subsidy.
The minister asked how the proposed subsidy would work with locally refined petrol, including products from the Dangote Refinery.
“Will Atiku, as President, pay subsidy on fuel produced by Dangote Refinery?” Wike asked.
The Presidency also rejected Atiku’s proposal.
On August 26, a presidential aide, Otega Ogra, estimated that the proposed subsidy could cost the country about N19.1 trillion annually if crude oil sold at around $80 per barrel and the government subsidised roughly $40 per barrel.
Ogra said such spending could amount to about N52.3 billion daily and N1.5 trillion monthly.
Atiku, however, has continued to defend the proposal.
On August 26, he also dismissed an explanation by one of his media aides that the proposed subsidy could be temporary.
Atiku said his position was clear and that he would restore the subsidy if elected in 2027.
“Earlier, one of my press aides contradicted me in a policy statement as far as subsidy is concerned.
“I want to repeat categorically that when I said I would return to subsidy, I will! Nigeria is rich enough to look after the welfare of its citizens.”