Tackle Corruption Before Restoring Petrol Subsidy, Gumi Tells FG

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has cautioned against restoring Nigeria’s petrol subsidy, warning that doing so without first addressing corruption could open another channel for the diversion of public funds.

Gumi made the remarks during an interview with PAPShow while reacting to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to restore the subsidy if elected president.

He acknowledged that governments around the world subsidise essential goods and services but argued that Nigeria must first strengthen its institutions and tackle corruption to ensure public resources are properly managed.

“If you reopen the subsidy system without first tackling corruption, you may simply create another opportunity for the diversion of public funds,” he said.

However, the cleric noted that removing subsidies without providing adequate support for poor Nigerians could worsen economic hardship.

He argued that the government should increase social spending and introduce effective interventions to cushion the impact of subsidy removal on vulnerable citizens.

“There is nothing wrong with removing subsidies and increasing social spending to compensate vulnerable citizens. But when you remove subsidies without adequately compensating the poor through social interventions, you create serious hardship,” Gumi said.

He described any attempt to restore the subsidy without addressing corruption as wasteful.

“Similarly, bringing back subsidies without addressing endemic corruption would amount to throwing money into a well,” he added.

Gumi also questioned whether Nigeria had developed the institutional discipline needed to operate a transparent subsidy system, stressing that public institutions required a moral reorientation.