President Bola Tinubu has ruled out any return to the petrol subsidy regime, insisting his economic reforms will not be reversed despite the hardship Nigerians continue to endure.
In his 66th Independence Anniversary address, the President said the country must move from economic reform to what he called shared prosperity, promising that jobs, enterprise and industrial growth would now sit at the heart of government policy.
It is a familiar promise. Two years after the subsidy removal pushed fuel prices through the roof and worsened inflation, many households still struggle to afford transport, food and electricity.
The President’s speech offered hope, but ordinary Nigerians want action, not another round of assurances. Critics argue that while the government celebrates reform, the promised prosperity remains distant for millions battling poverty.
The coming months will test whether the administration can translate its rhetoric into real relief for citizens who have borne the heaviest burden of these policies.
