Business
Obasanjo Criticizes Fuel Subsidy Removal Amid Rising Inflation and Protests
In a recent interview with the Financial Times, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo addressed the reemergence of the fuel subsidy in Nigeria, attributing its return to the inflationary pressures that have arisen since its removal.
The fuel subsidy, which was abolished in June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has reportedly reappeared due to escalating inflation, according to Obasanjo.
Obasanjo criticized the manner in which the subsidy was eliminated, arguing that the government failed to implement necessary preparatory measures before its removal.
He emphasized the need for a more strategic approach, suggesting that the removal of the subsidy was executed abruptly without adequate planning.
“The subsidy we thought we had removed is effectively back because of inflation,” Obasanjo noted.
He highlighted that there is considerable work required to address the economic issues at hand and called for a transition from a transactional economy to a transformational one to bolster investor confidence in Nigeria.
His comments come in the wake of persistent hunger protests across the country. These demonstrations, which began last Thursday, have now stretched into their fifth day, with a major demand being the reinstatement of the fuel subsidy.
In response to the protests, President Tinubu addressed the nation in a broadcast on Sunday, acknowledging the pain caused by the subsidy removal but defending it as a necessary measure. He argued that the subsidy was a significant burden on the country’s economic progress and development.
The impact of these economic changes is reflected in the sharp rise in core inflation, which surged to unprecedented levels of 34.19 percent and 40.87 percent in June 2024, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Dangote Refinery has announced a fresh reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
The company, which is one of Nigeria’s leading oil producers, announced in a statement shared by its spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, on its official X account on Thursday.
Effective immediately, Dangote Refinery has lowered the ex-depot price of petrol to N899.50 per litre, down from the previous rate of N970.
In his statement, Chiejina mentioned the company’s commitment to helping alleviate the financial burden on consumers during the holidays.
“We have now announced a new price of N899.50 per litre.
This reduction is designed to ease transport costs during the festive period,” he said.
“To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS.
From today, our petrol will be available at N899.50 per litre at our truck loading gantry or SPM.”
In addition to the price reduction, Dangote Refinery has introduced a new incentive to make fuel more accessible for consumers.
Chiejina explained that for every litre of petrol purchased on a cash basis, buyers will have the opportunity to acquire an additional litre on credit.
This offer is backed by a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank, providing customers with more flexible payment options.
Price of beans drops and news excites traders and consumers. Residents as well express joy with price drop amid the upcoming Christmas holiday. According to a report, the price of beans has sustained a slight drop as 100kg bag of beans is sold for 150k Naira to 140k.
The price of a bag has now dropped to 100k to 120k, depending on the type of beans. It was reported that the price of beans has been dropping for the past two weeks unlike the past months.
Nigeria’s Oil Production increased in November 2024 and has reached 1.69 Million per day going 10% increase compared to that of October production.
This now secures Nigeria’s oil production as the top in the Africa Oil Production.
The crude oil production rose with 11.42% but the condensation production reduced. Despite the great progress of the production, Nigeria’s oil production still has not reached their 2024 goal of 1.78mbpd.
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