Sorrows of struggle in Nigeria: A tragedy caused by an irresponsible government 

By Barrister Emmanuel Nicholas

I wish to draw a comparison between the removal of fuel subsidies and the effects of drug withdrawal.

To establish a clear background, it’s important to note that no drug rehabilitation center would recommend an immediate and complete cessation of an addict’s drug intake.

Rehabilitation typically begins with a gradual reduction in dosage. Abruptly stopping can be life-threatening for the addict.

If the addict previously used 10 grams of cocaine, the medical staff at the rehabilitation center will implement a gradual reduction of their intake, starting with 9 grams, then decreasing to 8 grams, and continuing this way until reaching 1 gram before completely stopping the use of the illicit substance.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic advisers have chosen a path that may undermine his administration by completely eliminating the fuel subsidy.

This decision has plunged Nigerians into significant hardship, causing many companies to shut down and prompting foreign nationals to leave Nigeria for other African countries due to the rising cost of production.

His administration aims to implement sweeping changes, including the full removal of the fuel subsidy, raising borrowing rates, increasing energy tariffs, hiking value-added tax, and elevating import rates.

These austerity measures have severely burdened both Nigerians and businesses operating in the country, resulting in unprecedented inflation levels.

Nigerians are taking their own lives in alarming numbers due to extreme hardship. A bag of rice costs over one hundred thousand Naira, petrol is priced at more than one thousand five hundred Naira, and a kilogram of cooking gas is now one thousand three hundred Naira. Additionally, inflation has surged by over 45 percent.

Grave diggers makes more money than gold miners, because more Nigerians are dying everyday because they can’t afford high cost of medical bills, transport fares both on the road and Air travel has been increased to over 200 percent.

Aviation fuel now cost more than gold, and no destination within Nigeria that is below one hundred and fifty thousand Naira, Nigerians trek more and most of them collapsed on the road and die because of over hunger and starvation.

Most people compare petroleum prices with some other countries, they refuse to also distinguished that Nigeria a country with the largest oil and gas deposit in Africa.

About twenty-two oil-producing countries worldwide sell PMS for less than one dollar. Major oil-producing nations like Libya, Venezuela, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran benefit from very low domestic fuel prices. Iran leads the list at $0.029 (N26.52), followed closely by Libya at $0.031 (N28.35) and Venezuela at $0.035 (N32.01).

Comparisons are often drawn with developed countries, many of which are not significant oil producers.

Nigeria remains Africa’s largest crude oil producer, with proven reserves of 37.50 billion barrels and a production capacity of around 2.19 million barrels per day (mbpd).

So, why is the Nigerian government seemingly insensitive to the struggles of its citizens? The removal of fuel subsidies, along with the distribution of palliatives to the poor, feels inadequate. Although grants and funding initiatives have been initiated, many appear to resemble Ponzi schemes.

Providing 50 bags of rice to a village of over 5,000 people raises questions about the effectiveness of such palliatives. How can this limited amount help? Even if distributed, each household would receive only a minuscule share.

Instead of implementing questionable funding schemes and distributing subpar rice, why not reinstate PMS subsidies to allow Nigerians to sustain themselves?

When petroleum prices are low, overall living costs decrease. However, with the removal of fuel subsidies, transportation costs have surged, while the government proposes a salary of seventy thousand Naira for workers.

Have they considered whether that amount is sufficient for workers to cover their transportation costs? How will they provide for themselves and their families or pay school fees for their children?

Why does the government prioritize potential revenue from the removal of fuel subsidies over the well-being of its people?

The palliatives and schemes seem to be mere distractions designed to benefit a select few in charge, while the broader population continues to suffer.

The current administration in Nigeria has created more orphans than any previous government, as parents have succumbed to heart attacks and high blood pressure due to stress and worry.

The successive All Progressive Congress (APC), governments came to power through blatant lies and deceptive tactics, accusing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of corruption while promising to enhance the economy and opposing the removal of fuel subsidies.

They criticized the PDP for making the Naira weak, claiming that within months they would equalize the Naira to the dollar, despite the exchange rate being 170 Naira per dollar at the time.

Nigerians were misled into believing these claims, and instead of strengthening the economy and the Naira, today the exchange rate stands at 1,600 Naira to one dollar. Without hesitation, the APC continues to blame the PDP for their failures.

During the PDP’s leadership, a 50kg bag of rice never exceeded 8,000 Naira, whereas now it is over 100,000 Naira.

Nigeria is rich in crude oil, and the government should emulate other oil-producing countries that subsidize fuel prices for their citizens.

Comparing fuel prices in Nigeria to those in the UK or the US is misguided and shows a lack of empathy for the population. Those countries have robust economies that allow their citizens to afford food, housing, and vehicles through systems like central mortgages—conditions that are not mirrored in Nigeria.

If the President truly understood the struggles of Nigerians, he would implement a gradual approach to fuel subsidy removal as the economy improves, rather than a sudden and complete withdrawal.

It’s essential to prepare the entire economic framework, strengthening institutions to ensure that the public does not suffer negative impacts. We must also ensure that all refineries are operational in the country and expand production.

Here’s a rephrased version of your text:

Ensure that all refineries in the country are operational, issue more licenses for new ones to be established, and restructure the NNPC to function effectively, rather than being a hub for misappropriating national wealth.

Revamp Nigeria’s security system to combat crude oil theft and implement economic strategies that will bolster the value of the Naira. If the Naira were valued at 170, as it was in 2015, fuel prices would be around 240 Naira.

Increasing fuel prices to over 1500 Naira while maintaining a minimum wage of 30,000 Naira demonstrates a government that is neglectful of the people’s welfare.

Just last week in Lagos, a man entered a food vendor’s shop seeking bread or garri, only to be turned away by the owner. He then approached a nearby restaurant, pleading for food after going three days without a meal, but his request was also denied.

After walking a short distance, he collapsed and died on the spot, prompting everyone to flee, knowing that the police would arrive and question anyone nearby.

In Nigeria, no one leaves a police station without paying bail, often requiring the sale of personal property to raise the necessary funds.

Nigerians are suffering because the central government has failed to adopt a thoughtful approach to subsidy removal. Instead, they should focus on rehabilitating refineries, constructing new ones, strengthening the Naira, and developing a robust economy before eliminating subsidies.

The government adopted a reckless approach by eliminating subsidies from day one of its leadership, resulting in immense hardship for over 200 million Nigerians.

If Tinubu seeks re-election, it will likely only be achieved through rigging, as no one in Nigeria would vote for him given the current level of hardship.