RismadarVoice Reporters
September 23, 2026
Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, have expressed differing positions on whether petrol subsidy should return under an NDC administration ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, said on Tuesday that an Obi-led government would introduce subsidy in a different form as part of efforts to reduce petrol prices.
Speaking during a television interview, Kwankwaso said the proposed approach could involve increased government investment in domestic refining to boost production and make petrol more affordable.
“We are bringing subsidy in our own way,” Kwankwaso said.
He argued that if private investors could establish refineries in Nigeria, the government could also invest in refining capacity where necessary to increase domestic supply and reduce prices.
His position differs from comments previously made by Obi, who has maintained that petrol subsidy should remain removed but criticised the manner in which the policy was implemented and the subsequent management of the savings.
Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt in August, Obi said mismanagement of funds generated from subsidy removal should not be a reason to restore the policy.
“I subscribe to and maintain that you need to remove the subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds shouldn’t be the reason for not removing it,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor has argued that subsidy removal should have been implemented in an organised manner, accompanied by measures to cushion its effects and transparent investment of the savings in sectors that benefit Nigerians.
Both candidates have criticised aspects of the Tinubu administration’s handling of fuel pricing and have called for measures to reduce the financial pressure of high petrol prices on Nigerians.
Their public statements, however, indicate different descriptions of how an NDC administration would approach the subsidy question, with Kwankwaso proposing what he described as a different form of subsidy and Obi maintaining that the previous subsidy regime should not simply be restored.
