Arise TV anchor, Rufai Oseni, has argued that Nigeria can operate a fuel subsidy regime without a return to the long queues previously witnessed at petrol stations across the country.
Oseni made the submission while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he challenged the argument that restoring fuel subsidies would inevitably lead to fuel shortages and long queues.
According to the broadcaster, the situation has changed significantly with the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery, which has brought fuel production closer to the domestic market.
Oseni maintained that the proximity of local production to consumers could help prevent supply disruptions, regardless of whether the government maintains or reintroduces a subsidy regime.
“The argument that they made was that we don’t want to go back to the days of long queues. No, no. What caused long queues then was because of import logistics. Today, you have Dangote producing locally,” he said.
He recalled that Nigeria previously operated a subsidy regime without necessarily experiencing persistent fuel queues, arguing that the supply challenges at the time were largely linked to dependence on imported petroleum products.
“When we’re still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat,” Oseni added.
The broadcaster also questioned who benefited most from Nigeria’s former subsidy arrangement, arguing that ordinary Nigerians were not necessarily the biggest beneficiaries.
He alleged that individuals and businesses he described as “crony capitalists” benefited significantly from the system because of their involvement in large-scale infrastructure and government contracts.
READ ALSO: Oseni Rufai Warns Nigerians Against Surrendering Voter Cards During Registrations
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiary of the subsidy,” he said.
Oseni’s comments come amid renewed debate over Nigeria’s fuel subsidy policy, with political actors and economic stakeholders divided over whether the government should reconsider aspects of the policy to ease the impact of rising petrol prices on citizens.
The Tinubu administration removed the petrol subsidy in May 2023, a decision that has significantly altered the pricing of petroleum products and triggered widespread debate over its economic and social consequences.
With the Dangote Refinery now supplying products to the Nigerian market, proponents of a review of the current pricing framework have increasingly argued that greater reliance on domestic refining could reduce exposure to international supply disruptions and import-related costs.
However, questions remain over the fiscal implications of any subsidy arrangement, particularly how the government would fund it and ensure that the benefits reach consumers rather than intermediaries.
Oseni’s position therefore adds another dimension to the ongoing national debate, suggesting that subsidy and fuel availability should not necessarily be treated as mutually exclusive, particularly in an era of increased domestic refining capacity.