Prominent lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), says the decision to completely remove fuel subsidy in Nigeria was influenced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, not just the Nigerian government.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Falana criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for fully scrapping fuel subsidies, calling the move unrealistic and harmful to ordinary Nigerians.
“There’s no way you can remove subsidy completely. No country in the entire world has abolished subsidies completely,” Falana said.
He explained that even the world’s richest nations—like the United States, United Kingdom, and France—still offer government support in important areas like electricity, food, and agriculture.
Falana added that Nigeria’s total removal of fuel subsidy was done under pressure from global financial bodies.
“If I must say this, it was the World Bank and the IMF that insisted the government must remove all subsidies,” he revealed.
Since the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023, Nigerians have faced steep increases in petrol prices and a higher cost of living. Many citizens have struggled with the effects, especially those in low-income brackets.
Falana has consistently opposed the policy, warning that it puts unnecessary hardship on the public without solving the country’s deeper economic problems.
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Fuel Subsidy Removal Was Pushed by IMF, World Bank – Falana
