Activist Omoyele Sowore has criticised the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy has worsened economic hardship for ordinary Nigerians rather than improving their living conditions.

Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese Ijebu, monitored in Abeokuta, Sowore said the policy had failed to deliver the promised economic benefits to citizens.

He questioned the administration’s economic direction under President Bola Tinubu, citing the depreciation of the naira as evidence of what he described as poor economic management. According to him, the exchange rate has weakened significantly since the current administration assumed office.

Sowore also pointed to rising inflation, increased borrowing, and stagnant wages as indicators that the policy framework introduced after subsidy removal has not improved the economic outlook for most Nigerians.

He said the government had promised that funds saved from subsidy removal would be invested in infrastructure, security, and social welfare but claimed there had been little visible improvement in these areas.

The activist further alleged that government borrowing had increased substantially, arguing that some ministries were struggling to access capital allocations needed to execute projects.

Sowore maintained that the economic situation had left many Nigerians struggling to meet basic needs, adding that policy outcomes should be measured by their impact on citizens’ daily lives rather than macroeconomic indicators alone.

He also argued that the benefits of subsidy removal appeared limited to a small segment of the population, while inflation and insecurity continued to affect the majority.

According to him, the country’s economic direction should prioritise broader public welfare rather than what he described as protection of elite interests.