Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, announced that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy has effectively curbed smuggling within Nigeria, as only a limited group of Nigerians benefited from the subsidy before.
Ribadu spoke about this during the Comptroller General of Customs conference in Abuja on Wednesday, highlighting that previous subsidies largely benefited neighbouring countries due to cross-border smuggling.
Drawing from his experience in a border community, Ribadu noted the daily complaints from locals about customs enforcement on smuggling activities.
He also claimed that military personnel were among those aiding smugglers but emphasized that new security teams have replaced officials involved in such practices.
Ribadu explained that contrary to serving Nigerians, the fuel subsidy primarily subsidized fuel for countries like Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Benin Republic, and Ghana, as well as benefiting local oil marketers who exploited the system.
He remarked that Nigeria’s previous subsidy setup encouraged a high number of fuel marketers, adding that the proliferation of filling stations, particularly between Abuja and Kaduna, was unsustainable under the subsidy regime. Now, with the subsidy ended, he claimed smuggling across the borders had been significantly curtailed.
He also praised recent customs operations, such as Operation Whirlwind, which he said had effectively combated smuggling activities.