President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, at the APC presidential campaign rally in Dutse, Jigawa State, reaffirmed his commitment to provide reliable electricity and reduce the cost of living, declaring that fuel subsidies will not return under his administration.
Tinubu said his administration would address long-running failures in the power sector, including what he characterized as an ineffective privatization program.
“We will provide reliable power, not the whole privatization that is not working,” he told supporters.
The President’s remarks come as parts of the nation continue to face electricity shortages.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe has previously blamed disruptions on maintenance at the Egbin power station, constrained gas supply and vandalism of transmission infrastructure.
Tinubu described reliable power as central to industrial growth, job creation and reducing the cost of living.
He pledged support for nano-, small- and medium-scale businesses, saying the government would build a stronger industrial base and expand opportunities for “real income earners.”
He also defended the removal of fuel subsidies, a signature but politically contentious reform.
“To those who say subsidy is coming back, it’s a lie,” Tinubu said.
“It’s not going to come back,” he declared.
He argued that restoring the subsidy would jeopardize the future of Nigerian children and said funds freed up by the policy would be redirected toward education, agriculture and infrastructure.
On food security, the President promised interest-free loans for smallholder farmers and plans to establish mechanized farming-service centers across the six geopolitical zones.
He said the measures were intended to raise output and bring down food prices.
Tinubu also addressed insecurity, urging citizens to report suspicious activity and pledging continued investment in the welfare and pay of security personnel.
“We will conquer insecurity,” he said.
The President said money recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from corruption-related cases would be channeled into the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he described as “our weapon against poverty.”
He said the program would broaden access to higher education and support human-capital development.
Tinubu’s promises echo pledges from his 2023 campaign, when improving power infrastructure was a central commitment.
