ABUJA, NIGERIA — Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has criticized the Federal Government and subnational administrations over the handling of revenues generated following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Falana argued that despite official promises that ending fuel subsidies would liberate fiscal space for public development, the projected savings have failed to translate into visible improvements for ordinary citizens.
Core Criticisms Raised by Falana
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Absorption by Debt Servicing: Falana pointed out that approximately $10 billion annually, which was previously earmarked for petrol importation, ought to have yielded substantial national savings. Instead, he noted that the bulk of the additional government revenue is being consumed by debt servicing and eroded by currency devaluation, leaving little impact on social welfare.
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Subnational Accountability Deficits: The legal practitioner cited local government revenue allocations to highlight accountability gaps. He noted that a local government area in Ekiti State received approximately ₦5.4 billion between January and May 2026, yet residents were still appealing to the Federal Government to repair the road leading to Afe Babalola University—a project he estimated would cost less than ₦500 million.
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Call to End the “Wait-and-See” Rhetoric: Pushing back against appeals for public patience, Falana described the continuous promise of future gains as a fallacy while citizens face worsening living standards, declaring: “People are dying.”
“If you say we are making more money, we don’t want to go back to the era of the fuel subsidy scam. Where are the benefits? It’s a fallacy being told to wait and wait and wait. Yes, state governments are getting more money. The Federal Government is getting more money. Local governments are getting more money on paper. It is the duty of the Nigerian people now to demand accountability.”
— Femi Falana, SAN
