Kwankwaso Says NDC Will Reintroduce Fuel Subsidy if Obi Wins 2027 Election

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has said an administration led by Peter Obi would reintroduce fuel subsidy if elected in the 2027 general elections, but through what he described as a different approach rather than a return to the previous subsidy regime. He made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television while discussing fuel pricing and the economic impact of President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.

Responding to a question about whether the NDC’s position on subsidy could affect its campaign in the North-West, where cheaper petrol remains a major political issue, Kwankwaso replied: “No, no, no, look. We are bringing subsidy in our own way.” He said the party’s objective was not simply to revive the old system but to ensure Nigerians could buy petrol at what he called a reasonable price.

Kwankwaso argued that one of the key pillars of the proposed policy would be expanding Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity. According to him, if private investors have demonstrated the ability to build world-class refineries, the government should also be prepared to invest in refining infrastructure where necessary to increase local production and reduce the cost of fuel.

“Now, if individuals in this country could build refineries, I see no reason why government, under certain circumstances, will not build a refinery or refineries to the extent that we achieve the minimum requirement,” he said, adding that the NDC would “do whatever it takes” to bring down the price of petrol.

The former Kano State governor also criticized the manner in which President Bola Tinubu removed fuel subsidy after assuming office in May 2023. Kwankwaso acknowledged that the major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had all campaigned on ending the subsidy, but argued that Tinubu’s immediate implementation failed to account for the economic consequences that followed.

According to him, the rapid removal of the subsidy contributed to rising transport costs, inflation and broader economic hardship. Those comments place the NDC’s fuel policy at the center of its emerging economic message as opposition parties continue unveiling alternative proposals ahead of the 2027 campaign.

Fuel subsidy remains one of Nigeria’s most contentious policy debates. The Federal Government has consistently defended its removal as financially unsustainable, arguing that savings should be redirected to infrastructure and social development, while opposition figures have proposed different mechanisms to make petrol more affordable without necessarily restoring the previous subsidy structure.

Kwankwaso’s remarks signal that the NDC intends to make affordable energy a central campaign issue, though the party has yet to release detailed policy documents explaining how its proposed subsidy model would be funded or implemented. As the 2027 election approaches, the debate is increasingly shifting from whether fuel prices should fall to how competing parties plan to achieve that goal.