Governors Reject Blame over Accountability for Fuel Subsidy Removal Proceeds

*To adopt national affordable CNG transit programme

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The 36 state governors, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), early on Thursday rejected allegations that sub-national governments had failed to properly account for funds received from the removal of fuel subsidy.

Chairman of the Forum, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who spoke through Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State after the Forum’s third meeting in Abuja, dismissed suggestions that states should accept blame over the management of subsidy removal proceeds.

Asked whether the Forum would accept blame that sub nationals had not been properly accountable for funds obtained from the removal of fuel subsidy, he said: “That cannot be true. That cannot be true. But we’ll leave that debate for another day.”

The governors also expressed overwhelming support for the proposed rollout of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme (NACTP), a state-led initiative designed to reduce passenger fares by translating the lower operating cost of CNG into cheaper transportation across the country.

According to AbdulRazaq, “Forum received a presentation on the proposed National Affordable CNG Transit Programme (NACTP), a State-led initiative designed to translate the lower operating cost of CNG into reduced transport fares for Citizens.”

He said the proposal envisaged state support for CNG vehicle conversions, fleets and enabling infrastructure, alongside fare commitments from participating operators, with an indicative target of reducing passenger fares.

“Governors noted the initiative’s potential to ease transportation costs and agreed on the need to further consider its financing and implementation framework,” he said.

On the timeline for implementation of the NACTP, the NGF Chairman said the details would be worked out between the Forum and the proponents of the programme.

He explained that “those details will be worked out between the Forum and those who have come to present to the Forum.”

The governors also justified the decision to focus the palliative on the transportation sector, saying the cost of moving people and goods had a direct impact on the prices of food and other essential commodities.

The NGF Chairman said: “Transportation is key. Transportation is key to several other factors. Say, for instance, you are talking about foodstuffs—increase in the cost of foodstuffs. They will tell you that ‘I’m moving from point A to point B, the transport cost is XY.’

“And so for that reason, the cost of my yam, the cost of my garri… And so by the time you reduce the cost of transport, as I said earlier, it will have a multiplier effect on several others.”

Responding to the wider debate on fuel subsidy removal and calls for a reversal of the policy, he said the NACTP was among measures being considered to cushion the impact of the reform on Nigerians.

He said: “these are part of the issues that have been addressed, particularly with the number two that I just talked about today about transportation fares.

“And you see that the rise in the cost of every other thing is also hinged on the increase in transport. And so now that the Forum is going in league with the private sector to see how we can bring in CNG, and you know that gas is cheaper than petrol and others, which will actually reduce the costs of transportation.

“And it will have a multiplier effect on every other sector. And that’s because there is now the removal of subsidies. And the impact is expected to be on our people—the very common man that we all talk about.”

Meanwhile, the governors, after an interactive session with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, on opportunities for state participation in CANEX Weekend 2026 and the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027, both scheduled to hold in Lagos, expressed their collective resolve to participate.

According to Abdulrazaq, “Governors noted the platform’s potential to showcase investment-ready projects, promote local exports and tourism, and connect State MSMEs with African and global investors and buyers. The Forum assured the Honourable Minister of its support in achieving these objectives.”