₦airaland Forum

Kobojunkie:
1. Your "mother" Nigeria, has been a terrible mother for a long time now. So, the problem hasn't been mangoes or fuel subsidy, but that your "mother" Nigeria has been a psychopathic, selfish arse of a bitch to her kids for a long time now. All of the complaints you have have existed even while the so-called fuel-subsidy program was running, and you only now seem to see it because the distraction that had been keeping you busy has been removed. 😐😐

2. No! "Children shall not live by mangoes alone". Even while the children had some mangoes, the poverty rate, homelessness problems, and debt also kept rising. Mangoes only served to distract the children from the many issues they were saddled with even at that time. So, suggesting that only bringing back mangoes will make the issues stop being issues is nonsensical. 😐😐

Oh wow! Never knew mangoes weren't the problem. Have a good day

nairalanda1:
➜It's not worth arguing with him, his mind is made up.

It is really sad that we are still doing this in 2026! 😐😐😐

chicfarmer:
Oh wow! Never knew mangoes weren't the problem. Have a good day

Long-standing fuel subsidies starved Nigeria's state-owned refineries of essential operational profits, making proper maintenance impossible and forcing total reliance on costly fuel importation.

Market Distortion and Profit Loss

Sales Below Cost: Subsidies forced state refineries to sell petroleum products at fixed, below-market prices that did not cover production costs.

No Reinvestment: Because facilities could not operate at a profit, they lacked the internal capital required for regular Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) and technological upgrades.

Accumulated Neglect: Chronic underfunding turned minor technical hitches into massive structural breakdowns across refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.


Shift to Import Dependency


Prioritizing Imports: As domestic refining ground to a halt, the government relied on imported petroleum products funded through heavy national subsidies.

Killing Local Competition: Artificially suppressed pump prices created a heavily regulated market where private investors could not fairly recover costs, discouraging any private-sector competition or modernization.


Resource Drain: Trillions of naira meant for public infrastructure and industrial competitiveness were diverted to fund import subsidies and administrative corruption.

(With a little help from my friends).

chicfarmer:
➜Oh wow! Never knew mangoes weren't the problem. Have a good day

As expected, you misconstrue what is said so you can escape with what you wanted to believe all along. 😐😐😐

The former fuel subsidy program benefited the rich more than it did the poor, thanks to your Mother Nigerian being a psychopathic bitch to her children. We all knew this. 😐😐

People are now beginning to think 🤔...
I like this.. no, I love it. Read the nairaland link below:
https://www.nairaland.com/8736124/subsidies-recalibration-atikus-masterstroke-great#140453414

Disclaimer: I no know the op and he no know me, but this is what I meant by saying the details of working out a fool-proof and auditable subsidy program can be done for the benefit of everybody.

chicfarmer:
People are now beginning to think 🤔...
I like this.. no, I love it. Read the nairaland link below:
https://www.nairaland.com/8736124/subsidies-recalibration-atikus-masterstroke-great#140453414

Disclaimer: I no know the op and he no know me, but this is what I meant by saying the details of working out a fool-proof and auditable subsidy program can be done for the benefit of everybody.

And his plan makes no sense.

Kobojunkie:
As expected, you misconstrue what is said so you can escape with what you wanted to believe all along. 😐😐😐

The former fuel subsidy program benefited the rich more than it did the poor, thanks to your Mother Nigerian being a psychopathic bitch to her children. We all knew this. 😐😐

Why all the bile?
I said have a good day, why griping?

chicfarmer:
➜Why all the bile? I said have a good day, why griping?

It is good that you are attempting to break this situation down to where a primary 6 student would understand it. I would even support the distribution of information of that sort to help educate the masses on the situation. But it is wrong that you do it from a point of ignorance yourself. You need to have a clear and unbiased understanding of the situation to approach it. 😐

Kobojunkie:
It is good that you are attempting to break this situation down to where a primary 6 student would understand it. I would even support the distribution of information of that sort to help educate the masses on the situation. But it is wrong that you do it from a point of ignorance yourself. You need to have a clear and unbiased understanding of the situation to approach it. 😐

PDPdestroyer:
Nairaland has outlived its usefulness. It is now a platform for misinformation because how do you explain bringing this kind of nonsense to front page. Seun, your site will be flagged for shutdown if care is not taken

Look who’s talking . The OP might be lack knowledge of how the system works but a lot of people the op have learnt a lot from the replies. Why did your party oppose removal of subsidy in 2009?

chicfarmer:
Those who collected loans with our oil should account for the loans. There must be consequences for actions. Something is wrong somewhere if we're collecting loans and we're not seeing results. Again, a country that produces crude cannot, and should not, buy petrol at similar prices as other nations who do not.

Let politicians who have mismanaged those loans go to jail otherwise this suffering would never end.

We're like 250m people we produce 1.6m.barrels

America like 320m people produce like 15m bbl

Qatar like 5m people produce same as us and more gas.

Thinking we're a rich country when we don't have any technical expertise or even innovation going on is just lies. We're not a rich country no let anyone deceive you.

callthefred:
We're like 250m people we produce 1.6m.barrels

America like 320m people produce like 15m bbl

Qatar like 5m people produce same as us and more gas.

Thinking we're a rich country when we don't have any technical expertise or even innovation going on is just lies. We're not a rich country no let anyone deceive you.

That is EXACTLY why the poor common people of Nigeria NEED fuel subsidy. I completely agree with you, we're a poor country so bring back subsidy.

chicfarmer:
That is EXACTLY why the poor common people of Nigeria NEED fuel subsidy. I completely agree with you, we're a poor country so bring back subsidy.

And they will pay for it with which revenue?

Poor country trying to subsidise fuel?

Poor country that has to borrow half the money needed for budget, because it is so poor, to subsidise fuel?

Yipes.

There is a reason why most african countries do not pay subsides for fuel, and why some, like Angola, want to remove them in two years time totally.

callthefred:
We're like 250m people we produce 1.6m.barrels

America like 320m people produce like 15m bbl

Qatar like 5m people produce same as us and more gas.

Thinking we're a rich country when we don't have any technical expertise or even innovation going on is just lies. We're not a rich country no let anyone deceive you.

It;s not worth trying to argue with him, or show him facts. He thinks there is a magic money tree in Aso rock.

ElevationD:
Where is the logic please?

Now some of you can simply justify subsidy removal because you want to let us know that Tinubu achieved it.

Nigeria was way better in 2015 than we presently find it today. If the same Tinubu along with his co-sojourners allowed GEJ to move ahead with subsidy, citizens will not be facing such severe hardship as presently experienced.

Commonsense should tell you that the same oil companies that operate in Nigeria, also operate in the Middle East. Is it a secret that aside from oil and gas, Nigeria has better resources than Saudi Arabia? Can anyone steal crude from Saudi Arabia and escape? Were you not in this nation when the story went out how thieves were making away with over 800k barrels of crude daily for years? Do you know the difference that would have made in the lives of citizens?

Are you not the childish one here, believing that agreements should not favour owners of products because investors are putting their monies? Why not simply ask investors to explore, drill, sell and keep the entire funds to themselves? What’s the business of government, if not to protect the interest of the citizens?

The aforementioned countries have always paid salaries and fixed their countries and economies, even with subsidies. Nigerians travel to those countries to enjoy better lives and earn much more. Now that subsidy has been removed, salaries are getting paid, infrastructures are developing, as per what you all say. The question asked is how the poor have been impacted positively. Hopefully you are not going to tell us that the FG has been giving handouts.

Oga, stop being twisted! Nigeria is far better today than in 2015. A country should not be judged by the price of rice and beans. Inflation is a normal thing due to competition for scarce resources. There were fuel queues before. Were are they now? Student loans is now available. More road network, more schools etc.

nairalanda1:
And they will pay for it with which revenue?

Poor country trying to subsidise fuel?

Poor country that has to borrow half the money needed for budget, because it is so poor, to subsidise fuel?

Yipes.

There is a reason why most african countries do not pay subsides for fuel, and why some, like Angola, want to remove them in two years time totally.

yikes, not yipes

chicfarmer:
yikes, not yipes

Son, at the end, a business must make a profit to be able to run efficiently and effectively and to be able to give you good service. Suggesting that government sets its prices is basically asking government to sabotage the business.

nairalanda1:
Son, at the end, a business must make a profit to be able to run efficiently and effectively and to be able to give you good service. Suggesting that government sets its prices is basically asking government to sabotage the business.

It's our oil. Greedy governors and politicians will not dictate for us. You've been found out. Subsidy back

And when another government bring back subsidy and attempt to mismanage it, we will also kick them out. We'll continue to kick them out until we get it right. Enough is enough

chicfarmer:
It's our oil. Greedy governors and politicians will not dictate for us. You've been found out. Subsidy back

If the oil is brought out and sold at a cost less than what it cost to bring it out so that you can enjoy cheap fuel, it would lead to massive job losses, oil workers japaing, and eventually a fall in crude production for the domestic market.

Which would defeat the purpose of your subsidy.

A business must operate at a profit. Profit is the lubrication of jobs, investment, innovation and prosperity.

You do not have to vote for corruption in the form of APC to believe this.

nairalanda1:
If the oil is brought out and sold at a cost less than what it cost to bring it out so that you can enjoy cheap fuel, it would lead to massive job losses, oil workers japaing, and eventually a fall in crude production for the domestic market.

Which would defeat the purpose of your subsidy.

A business must operate at a profit. Profit is the lubrication of jobs, investment, innovation and prosperity.

You do not have to vote for corruption in the form of APC to believe this.

Leave am for us like that

chicfarmer:
Leave am for us like that

So that your grandchildren would be paying the massive debt resulting.

I can;t allow that to happen, my dear child.

nairalanda1:
So that your grandchildren would be paying the massive debt resulting.

I can;t allow that to happen, my dear child.

You don pay the one tinubu put for your head finish?

Why fuel subsides were bad for Nigeria's refineries.

For the information of the people visiting, so that they are not misled by the chicfarmer.

Fuel subsidies were bad for Nigeria's state-owned refineries because they trapped the facilities in a cycle of underfunding, disrepair, and market distortion.

Financial Starvation and Losses

Capped Pump Prices: Regulated pump prices kept fuel artificially cheap, meaning the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had to absorb the heavy cost difference between high global import prices and low domestic retail caps.

No Capital for Maintenance: Absorbing these immense fiscal costs drained NNPC’s finances, leaving no capital to properly run, repair, or upgrade the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.

Accumulated Deficits: The state refineries ran at a complete standstill while continuing to rack up massive operational and maintenance overhead costs.


Market Distortion and Disincentives

Uncompetitive Local Refining: Artificially low prices made it financially impossible for local refineries to operate competitively under regulated pricing structures.

Rampant Smuggling: Low domestic prices created a massive profit incentive to smuggle petroleum across borders to neighboring countries, fueling artificial scarcity and increasing the overall subsidy burden rather than supporting local production.

Discouraged Private Investment: Price caps and heavy state controls deterred private investors from building or funding competitive local modular and large-scale refineries.

That is how we lost the NNPC refineries.

ElevationD:
Who owns the oil? When partnership agreements are reached, how can you not insert clauses that favor you?

How are the middle east nations able the run their countries with ease and some citizens not even paying taxes? The same foreign companies operate in Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East.

There is subsidy on petrol in Saudi Arabia and the citizens do not pay personal income tax. How do they run their nation successfully, making life better for their citizens?

Yes, you may take off subsidy, but you must ensure that life is better for the citizens in the end. Unfortunately your party makes the rich get richer and the poor depend on handouts daily.

Imagine Niger Delta is an independent country on its own with all its oil, no north, south west and south east burden

That’s is exactly most Middle East settings
Plenty oil tiny countries

Misterone:
Oga, stop being twisted! Nigeria is far better today than in 2015. A country should not be judged by the price of rice and beans. Inflation is a normal thing due to competition for scarce resources. There were fuel queues before. Were are they now? Student loans is now available. More road network, more schools etc.

Please show evidence clearly that Nigeria is “far better” than in 2015.

Without Dangote, would there be no fuel queues?
Did the refinery project commence under an APC government?

Please can you show us your “more road networks”? Or do you want to tag the coastal road “more roads”?

Be reminded that before APC arrived with wayo in 2015, the national minimum wage was @ ₦18,000 calculated at $91 per month, based on the official exchange rate of ₦197 to $1 at the time. People shouted that it was too poor, as they fell for the APC gimmick. Go and look at the cost of other items then and ask yourself if that 18,000 was not far valuable than the present. Government was paying subsidy, right.

A bag of rice was sold @6,900 - 8,500 depending on the brand and your location.

Presently the minimum wage is @70,000 calculated at 52.1 per month, based on the official exchange rate of 1,342 presently.

A bag of rice sells for between 55,000 and 100,000 depending on the brand and your location. Make your calculation and tell yourself the truth. With that amount, can you purchase a bag of rice, purchase other items for the household and pay your transport fare to work? Now no subsidy and purchasing power is further diminished. You pay salaries, yet your money appears like mere paper in your hands.

“Inflation is a normal thing due to competition for scarce resources”. What a very simplistic view. Do have you asked yourself if truly the country has the challenge of scarce resources? Be honest with yourself. Nigeria is supposed to be a geographical power. Some of the qualities of such powers are it’s resources, human, geographical and natural. Is Nigeria short on any of the above?

Some of you APC supporters should wake up from your slumber and tell yourselves the truth that APC saw to the degradation of this country.

ElevationD:
Who owns the oil? When partnership agreements are reached, how can you not insert clauses that favor you?

How are the middle east nations able the run their countries with ease and some citizens not even paying taxes? The same foreign companies operate in Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East.

There is subsidy on petrol in Saudi Arabia and the citizens do not pay personal income tax. How do they run their nation successfully, making life better for their citizens?

Yes, you may take off subsidy, but you must ensure that life is better for the citizens in the end. Unfortunately your party makes the rich get richer and the poor depend on handouts daily.

Saudi Arabia produces 10 million barrels+ per day vs. 1.7 million barrels per day in Nigeria. Saudi has less than 40 million population vs. 240 million population. Saidi earns high foreign exchange from religious tourism (mecca and medina). Saudi Aramco drills most of its oil unlike Nnpc and co that operates joint venture. To draw a close parallel with Nigeria, maybe you imagine Nigeria producing 50million barrels per day
instead of 1.7 million barrels per day

Stop overating Nigerias earning because of few politicians and civil servants stealing.

ElevationD:
Please show evidence clearly that Nigeria is “far better” than in 2015.

Without Dangote, would there be no fuel queues?
Did the refinery project commence under an APC government?

Please can you show us your “more road networks”? Or do you want to tag the coastal road “more roads”?

Be reminded that before APC arrived with wayo in 2015, the national minimum wage was @ ₦18,000 calculated at $91 per month, based on the official exchange rate of ₦197 to $1 at the time. People shouted that it was too poor, as they fell for the APC gimmick. Go and look at the cost of other items then and ask yourself if that 18,000 was not far valuable than the present. Government was paying subsidy, right.

A bag of rice was sold @6,900 - 8,500 depending on the brand and your location.

Presently the minimum wage is @70,000 calculated at 52.1 per month, based on the official exchange rate of 1,342 presently.

A bag of rice sells for between 55,000 and 100,000 depending on the brand and your location. Make your calculation and tell yourself the truth. With that amount, can you purchase a bag of rice, purchase other items for the household and pay your transport fare to work? Now no subsidy and purchasing power is further diminished. You pay salaries, yet your money appears like mere paper in your hands.

“Inflation is a normal thing due to competition for scarce resources”. What a very simplistic view. Do have you asked yourself if truly the country has the challenge of scarce resources? Be honest with yourself. Nigeria is supposed to be a geographical power. Some of the qualities of such powers are it’s resources, human, geographical and natural. Is Nigeria short on any of the above?

Some of you APC supporters should wake up from your slumber and tell yourselves the truth that APC saw to the degradation of this country.

For you to make the comment "without Dangote", it means you don't know what you're saying. Therefore no need exchanging words with you.
Note this! No one is talking about APC. It's about if Nigeria is better or not!

chinchum:
Saudi Arabia produces 10 million barrels+ per day vs. 1.7 million barrels per day in Nigeria. Saudi has less than 40 million population vs. 240 million population. Saidi earns high foreign exchange from religious tourism (mecca and medina). Saudi Aramco drills most of its oil unlike Nnpc and co that operates joint venture. To draw a close parallel with Nigeria, maybe you imagine Nigeria producing 50million barrels per day
instead of 1.7 million barrels per day

Stop overating Nigerias earning because of few politicians and civil servants stealing.

Sorry, but you APC supporters always pretend in the face of the truth. So you want to believe that Nigeria’s earning is overrated and other nations rake in more revenue than this country?

“Saudi earns high foreign exchange from religious tourism…”.
Those are your words, right. Now ask yourself where revenues from non oil exports go. Ask yourself who keeps the revenue from solid minerals. How much goes into the federation account? Have you ever asked for records? Who keeps money from Gold, Californium, etc? Have you asked yourself? What’s happening to lands taken over by herdsmen, terrorists and bandits? If such existed in Saudi Arabia, would the economy not be in shambles by now. Have you heard of pipeline vandalism in Saudi Arabia?

Take a look at the below population of the countries listed below:

1. India: 1.45 to 1.47 billion
2. China: 1.41 billion
3. United States: 420 million
4. Indonesia: 287 million
5. Pakistan: 259 million
6. Nigeria: 242 million
7. Brazil: 212 million
8. Bangladesh: 175 million
9. Russia: 144 million
10. Ethiopia: 132 to 135 million

Which of the countries listed above suffer what Nigerians suffer? India has the highest population worldwide, yet the prices of basics are stable year in, year out. Ask any Nigerian resident in India how much a bag of rice goes for. Ask how much one chicken goes for. Ask what quantity of tomatoes you can get in Nigeria’s equivalent of India’s forty rupees.

Ethiopia has the biggest airline in Africa, in terms of size and revenue. It has diverse and abundant natural resources, including extensive water systems, arable land, and valuable mineral deposits. With that huge population, life is good in Ethiopia.

Modern Dubai picked up in 1985, with what we all know today as Emirates airline and speedy development of the whole place. Nigerians have relocated there en mass to pick up residence, including our leaders. Our current leader is assumed to have a home in France and another in UK.

Tell yourself the truth that the country has huge resources, but completely bifurcated by the political leadership. Nigeria does not have the problem of resources or revenue, but crooked leaders, supported by citizens who do not know the difference between their left and right.

You term as “little”, the stealing of your so called few politicians and civil servants? If China and Singapore allowed that to happen, would there be a developed China and Singapore to enjoy today? EFCC just announced that a private jet was seized from an individual who used his position in the power sector to steal $30m. If only one person stole such amount, do you have an idea of what your few politicians and civil servants have stolen so far? Will that $30 not serve to establish many SMSEs for several citizens?

Stop supporting such irresponsibility on the part of leaders.

Nigeria produces close to 1.8 m barrels daily. Before now, were you not aware that about half or more was stolen?

Aramco is the equivalent of Nigeria’s NNPC. How is ARAMCO able to drill alone? Do you know that there’s Saudi Arabian Chevron which operates and manages the Kingdom's share of onshore oil and petroleum production in the partitioned neutral zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. There’s HALLIBURTON that provides extensive drilling, completion, and unconventional gas development services and there’s SLB that handles large-scale reservoir characterization and drilling technology. There are other oil foreign firms operating in Saudi Arabia.

Accountability is the keyword. How can this country’s revenue grow when there’s so much stealing, corruption and nepotism dominating the space?

Be honest with yourself please.

Misterone:
For you to make the comment "without Dangote", it means you don't know what you're saying. Therefore no need exchanging words with you.
Note this! No one is talking about APC. It's about if Nigeria is better or not!

Without Dangote refinery, where would you be today, Mr. Sabi Sabi? What do you know?

Without Dangote refinery would you by now not be queuing and fighting for petrol?

Maybe you just finished your secondary school education and you are not aware that NNPC and fuel marketers could not solve the lingering problem.

Maybe you are not aware that Dangote refinery gave the FG the confidence to end fuel subsidy.

Misterone:
For you to make the comment "without Dangote", it means you don't know what you're saying. Therefore no need exchanging words with you.
Note this! No one is talking about APC. It's about if Nigeria is better or not!

Simply show evidence that Nigeria is better now than it was in 2015 and you could not. I already gave you an insight from what we all experienced. Prove with facts please that the standard of living of Nigerians has improved.

Mattswaggz:
There are countries outside the west that will be willing to transfer knowledge but the government prefers their present partners.....countries like Iran,India and China were as good as Nigeria at some point in time but they made the right alliances and now handle these things themselves and even help others.

Another perspective.

And by extension, this may be a black problem as the pattern can be seen across the continental. Especially west Africa.