President Bola Tinubu has doubled down on his position that Nigeria will not revert to the fuel subsidy regime, describing the policy shift as a bold and necessary economic reform.

Speaking on Monday at a meeting with the City Boy Movement—a youth-driven political and advocacy group promoting his administration’s agenda—Tinubu insisted the decision was unavoidable.

“I came, and I removed the subsidy on my first day. Nigeria would have gone bankrupt; there was nothing left to pay for subsidies,” he said. “I could listen to my political opponents promising a return to subsidy.”

The president invoked a religious analogy to reinforce his point: “I remember my scripture studies, both in the Bible and the Holy Quran. When Moses (Musa) left Egypt, the Red Sea parted and gave way. You cannot ask Moses to go back to Egypt. With your energy and support, we will never go back to Egypt.”

Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, praised the organization for mobilizing support and urged members to spread word of his government’s achievements to the grassroots.

“Those of you who are lucky to work with me have given me all the answers needed and the confidence required to see the coming election as a simple matter,” he stated. “You will go to your campuses, your markets, and your villages. Make sure every young person you know has a PVC and uses it. Tell them what we have done and tell them what we will do. Campaign with your ideas.”

Tinubu ended fuel subsidies during his inauguration in May 2023. The move triggered an immediate spike in petrol prices, which rose from under ₦200 per litre to between ₦1,350 and ₦1,405 per litre at major filling stations nationwide.

Although the policy has faced widespread criticism over the rising cost of living, the president remains resolute. The federal government maintains the decision is critical to resetting the national economy and has assured citizens that the initial hardship will gradually ease.