He added that the government is secretly covering some of the subsidy costs to avoid causing more economic problems.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal has called out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He accused Tinubu’s government of not being transparent over the removal of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy.
In an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Lawal said the government has not been honest about the real situation with fuel pricing and subsidy payments.
“The high cost of petrol in Nigeria does not reflect the true market realities.”
He added that the government is secretly covering some of the subsidy costs to avoid causing more economic problems.
Lawal criticised what he called policy inconsistency pointing out that the current administration campaigned on reforming the economy but seems to be backtracking on key decisions.
“This raises serious questions about honesty in governance and the sincerity of the fuel subsidy removal policy,” he added.
He urged the government to be open with Nigerians about the real financial impact of its fuel pricing strategy.
“Hiding subsidy payments under other budget categories could worsen economic instability and damage public trust in leadership,” Lawal warned