‘You Can’t Ask Moses to Return to Egypt’ — Tinubu Tells Subsidy Critics

President Bola Tinubu has ruled out returning to petrol subsidy payments, comparing calls to reverse the policy to asking Moses to return to Egypt after leading the Israelites out.

Tinubu made the remarks on Monday while addressing members of the City Boy Movement, a group supporting his political agenda, insisting that Nigeria could no longer afford the cost of maintaining the subsidy regime.

“With your ideas, I came and I removed subsidy the first day. No, Nigeria will go bankrupt. You have nothing left to pay subsidy,” the President said.

He criticised political opponents who have promised to restore the subsidy, arguing that reversing the policy would undermine efforts to address the country’s longstanding economic challenges.

Drawing from his religious studies, Tinubu referred to the biblical and Quranic accounts of Moses, also known as Musa in Islam, leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

“When Moses and Musa left Egypt, they faced the challenge and the Red Sea parted and gave way,” he said.

“You cannot ask Moses to go back to Egypt. We will campaign with ideas and original thoughts and deep thinking to move this country forward,” Tinubu added.

The President removed the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, shortly after taking office, announcing that “fuel subsidy is gone”. The decision led to a sharp increase in petrol prices, contributing to higher transportation costs and rising prices of goods and services.

The policy remains a major point of debate as Nigerians continue to grapple with the cost of living. Critics have argued that subsidy removal has placed additional pressure on households, while the government maintains that the reform is necessary to reduce fiscal burdens and improve economic stability.

In his October 1 Independence Day address, Tinubu also rejected calls to restore fuel subsidies, saying the government must continue with its economic reforms rather than return to previous policies.

Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele has separately warned that restoring petrol subsidies could place further pressure on public finances and the naira.

Tinubu insisted that his administration would continue to defend its reform agenda, urging supporters to promote policies and ideas aimed at moving Nigeria forward.

The debate over petrol subsidy is expected to remain a key issue in political discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections, as parties offer competing proposals for addressing fuel prices, public spending and the wider economic hardship facing Nigerians.