Nigeria’s fuel crisis is not just about high prices; it is a reflection of deep-rooted corruption, inefficiency, and policies designed to benefit the elite while leaving millions of Nigerians in hardship. The removal of fuel subsidies by past and present administrations has only worsened the suffering of ordinary citizens without addressing the core issues in the oil sector. Omoyele Sowore understands that eliminating subsidies without first fixing the system is a failed approach that transfers the burden to the people. His plan is to bring back fuel subsidies—but in a way that genuinely serves Nigerians and prevents the corruption that plagued previous governments.
For years, the fuel subsidy was a tool for massive corruption. Instead of using it to make life easier for Nigerians, government officials and their allies in the oil industry turned it into a scheme for looting public funds. They manipulated importation records, inflated costs, and siphoned billions under the guise of subsidy payments. When these fraudulent subsidies were removed, no real solution was provided—Nigerians were simply left to struggle with soaring fuel prices, higher transportation costs, and worsening inflation.
Sowore’s approach is different. His priority is to ensure that Nigeria refines its own crude oil locally. For too long, the country has depended on imported petroleum products despite being one of the largest crude oil producers in the world. Exporting raw crude only to import refined fuel at outrageous prices is an economic failure engineered by corrupt leaders. Sowore is committed to revamping Nigeria’s dormant refineries and building new ones to end this cycle of waste and dependence. By refining oil locally, production costs will drop, and fuel will become more affordable for Nigerians.
With functional refineries, Sowore will reintroduce fuel subsidies in a way that benefits the masses, not corrupt elites. Unlike the past system where subsidies were stolen through fraudulent claims, his administration will implement a transparent process to ensure direct government intervention in fuel pricing helps ordinary citizens. By removing the influence of corrupt oil marketers and middlemen, the cost of fuel will be stabilized without inflating public spending or encouraging fraud.
Nigeria’s fuel sector is controlled by powerful cartels that manipulate prices for personal gain. These cartels, in collaboration with corrupt government officials, hoard fuel, create artificial scarcity, and drive up costs while Nigerians suffer. Sowore’s administration will dismantle this monopoly, ensuring that pricing is based on real production costs rather than corruption-driven speculation. His leadership will introduce a transparent system where fuel distribution is closely monitored, preventing hoarding and price manipulation.
Libya serves as a strong example of how a country can use its oil wealth to benefit its citizens. Despite facing political instability, Libya has kept fuel prices low through effective subsidy management and local refining. There is no reason Nigeria, with its vast crude oil reserves, should force its citizens to buy fuel at inflated rates. The only reason this happens is because of corruption and poor governance. Sowore’s plan will break this cycle, ensuring that Nigeria’s oil wealth is used for the people, not against them.
His leadership will mark a new era of economic fairness and accountability. Fuel subsidy under his administration will not be a tool for looting but a system designed to protect Nigerians from exploitative market forces. By fixing the refineries, eliminating fraudulent practices, and ensuring public funds serve their true purpose, he will bring relief to millions of struggling citizens.
Nigerians have suffered enough from bad economic policies. It is time for leadership that puts the people first. With Sowore, fuel will be cheap again, the economy will be stable, and government policies will work in the interest of ordinary citizens.
