ABUJA — Tensions are mounting across Nigeria’s political and economic landscapes as new data reveals a staggering disparity in government spending. Critics are raising the alarm over a reported N17.5 trillion expenditure on “pipeline security” and “energy operations” within a single 12-month period—a figure that dwarfs the combined fuel subsidy costs of previous years.
The revelation has sparked a fierce debate over the transparency of the President Bola Tinubu administration, with many questioning why a government that ended fuel subsidy to “save money” is now presiding over even larger, more opaque expenditures.
The Great Comparison: N5.7tn vs. N17.5tn
The core of the controversy lies in a direct comparison of fiscal priorities. According to data cited by the _Standard _Daily _Press_
2021 & 2022: Nigeria spent approximately N5.7 trillion on fuel subsidy over two years.
2024 (Last 12 Months): Reports from NNPCL audited statements indicate a humongous N17.5 trillion was committed to “securing pipelines and energy security operations.”
Activists and opposition political leaders argue that while the former subsidy directly lowered the cost of transportation and food for over 200 million Nigerians, the current multibillion-naira security contracts benefit only a “privileged few” and “political cronies,” while the average citizen grapples with petrol prices exceeding N1,000 per litre.
Subsidy Removal: A Failed Promise?
When President Tinubu announced “Subsidy is gone” in May 2023, the justification was to curb corruption and end the cycle of borrowing. However, critics point to two major failures in that logic:
Redirection of Corruption: Proponents of the critique argue that corruption hasn’t been eliminated but merely “rebranded.” The emergence of new nomenclatures like “energy-cost” and “under-recovery” are being viewed as “cryptic codes” for continued, less transparent subsidies.
Mounting Debt: Despite the removal of subsidy, the government continues to borrow at record levels. Recent reports indicate that Nigeria’s public debt stock has surged, with fresh loans being secured even as revenue from the “savings” of subsidy removal remains unaccounted for in the daily lives of citizens.
‘Selective Sacrifice’
”We are in the most catastrophic, nepotistic, and horrible government,” one activist statement read. “Nigerians were told to tighten their belts and make sacrifices, yet the same administration is channeling trillions into opaque security contracts linked to allies.”
The call for a forensic audit of the N17.5 trillion spend is growing louder. Economic experts warn that if the government cannot justify why protecting pipelines costs more than subsidizing the entire nation’s energy needs for a decade, public trust may reach a point of no return.
The Growing Demand for Answers
As inflation continues to soar and the naira remains volatile, the “Wong Box Nigeria” and other rights organizations have vowed to keep the spotlight on these figures. They are demanding:
A full list of companies receiving pipeline security contracts.
An explanation for the 38% rise in energy security costs in the 2024/2025 cycle.
A clear roadmap for debt reduction that doesn’t rely solely on taxing the poor.
The administration is yet to provide a detailed line-by-line rebuttal to these specific figures, leaving a vacuum that is being filled by growing public resentment.
