The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s removal of the petrol subsidy, describing it as a selfless, high-stakes political risk taken exclusively to save Nigeria from total economic collapse.

Speaking during an interactive session with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Press Corps in Abuja, Alake—who was recently appointed as the Director of Strategic Communications for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign—revealed that past administrations fully understood the necessity of ending the subsidy regime but lacked the courage to act due to fears of losing elections.

Alake argued that President Tinubu willingly "took the bullets" on behalf of the nation, knowing the immediate hardship and public backlash that would follow. According to him, the old subsidy system was an unsustainable drain that primarily enriched oil cartels and wealthy citizens at the expense of national development.

"There is no shortcut to genuine reforms," Alake stated. "All the policies necessary to correct the distortions in Nigerian society were identifiable by previous governments. The only thing lacking was the courage to take those decisions. They were afraid of elections; they were afraid of it blocking their return to office. So they shifted the hard decisions."

He continued: "If a man, who is a politician himself and should be sensitive to elections, decided to take the bullets regardless of the consequences on his own political career because the nation had to be reset, I think it’s very important for us to appreciate that."

Alake explained that before the May 2023 declaration, the federal government was borrowing heavily just to pay salaries, leaving over 18 states unable to meet their monthly wage obligations. He noted that funds meant for critical infrastructure, healthcare, and education were instead swallowed by a system that allowed cartels to buy cheap fuel in Nigeria and smuggle it across the borders for humongous profits.

Acknowledging the current economic pains faced by Nigerians, the minister urged for patience and consistency, emphasizing that deep structural reforms require an adjustment period before their benefits manifest. He noted that the policy is already beginning to yield the desired long-term macroeconomic stability despite aggressive pushback from displaced cartels.

The petrol subsidy removal remains the central talking point ahead of the 2027 general elections. While opposition figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have pledged to restore the subsidy to alleviate hardship, other key political figures, including Peter Obi and Governor Seyi Makinde, have maintained that they would keep the subsidy removed but manage the petroleum sector more transparently to lower costs for citizens.