By Chiamaka Egwu
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Monday challenged the Federal Government’s position that there will be no return to petrol subsidy, urging a review of the country’s energy pricing policy to ease the burden of rising living costs.
HURIWA said the removal of petrol subsidy, announced by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023, deserved continued public debate because of its impact on transportation, food prices, businesses and household purchasing power.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the group argued that there had been no broad-based national consultation before the policy was announced.
HURIWA said the government’s declaration that there was “no going back” on subsidy removal should not prevent Nigerians from questioning the economic and social consequences of the policy.
The group acknowledged the concerns surrounding the former subsidy regime, including the need to prevent corruption, smuggling, fiscal leakages and other abuses.
However, it argued that the removal of subsidy should be accompanied by effective measures to protect vulnerable Nigerians from the impact of higher energy costs.
HURIWA said: “The association says removing subsidy without establishing an effective alternative social protection mechanism amounts to transferring the burden of adjustment almost entirely to ordinary Nigerians.”
The group also questioned the extent to which savings from subsidy removal had translated into improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
It cited the statement attributed to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, that subsidy removal generated N15.8 trillion for the federation between June 2023 and December 2025.
According to the figure cited by HURIWA, N5.4 trillion accrued to the Federal Government, while N10.4 trillion was shared among states and local governments.
The association challenged the authorities to demonstrate how the savings had improved essential services and living conditions.
“What measurable improvements in the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians can be directly linked to these enormous savings?” HURIWA asked.
The group also referred to the Presidency’s position, as conveyed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, that restoring subsidy could create legal and fiscal complications and discourage investment in domestic refining.
HURIWA said such concerns should be weighed alongside the immediate impact of high energy prices on households and businesses.
The association further said former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal for a controlled intervention in the oil and gas sector deserved public consideration, rather than being dismissed outright.
According to HURIWA, the central issue should be how Nigeria can achieve affordable energy, protect vulnerable citizens, expand domestic refining capacity and ensure transparency in the management of public resources.
The group demanded that the Federal Government provide greater transparency on the deployment of funds saved from subsidy removal.
It urged the government to publish verifiable information on how the resources had been applied to transportation, healthcare, education, infrastructure, wages, social protection and other areas affecting citizens.
HURIWA also warned that further increases in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices could intensify inflationary pressures, increase transportation and food costs, and further reduce household purchasing power.
It called for measures that would reduce energy costs while maintaining safeguards against corruption and fiscal abuse.
On public participation, HURIWA said Nigerians should retain their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, expression and protest when opposing policies they consider detrimental to their welfare.
The association maintained that economic reforms require meaningful engagement with citizens and argued that the sustainability of reforms depends partly on whether their benefits are reflected in people’s everyday lives.
“Nigerians should not be asked to accept permanent economic hardship merely because government describes subsidy removal as a reform,” HURIWA said.
