Proceedings of the 3rd (Hybrid) International Conference, Faculty of Social Sciences, Niger Delta University, Held on June 4, 2025
DOI: 10.36108/wjss/ConfP.2025.019
FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL POLICY AND WEAPONISATION OF POVERTY ON POST-SUBSIDY REGIMES IN NIGERIA
ITU, Madu (Ph.D.)
Department of Public Administration, University of Africa Toru-Orua, Nigeria
Abstract
For decades, fuel subsidies in Nigeria have sparked heated debate. Millions of Nigerians are understandably worried about the impact on their day-to-day lives due to the impending fuel scarcity problem caused by the recent removal of the fuel subsidy policy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inauguration address on May 29, 2023. Meanwhile, transportation and commodity costs have risen due to the removal of the fuel subsidy, which has exacerbated economic problems and made life more difficult for the citizens, who must now spend more money on fuel and other essential services. Therefore, this paper interrogated subsidy removal policy and the weaponizing of poverty on post-subsidy regimes in Nigeria, and the effects of that choice on the citizen, society and the economy. The study adopted the theory of price elasticity by Alfred Marshall in 1890, and the removal of fuel subsidies in Nigeria, by using an historical approach, lays out the arguments for fuel subsidy removal policy and measures to cushion the Effects. By way of recommendations, the paper suggested several practical solutions to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy withdrawal in Nigeria, including expanding access to electricity in rural areas, raising the minimum wage, and importing and distributing food items to the citizens.
KEYWORDS: Fuel Subsidy, Policy, Post-Subsidy Regimes Standard of Living and Weaponing Poverty