Nigeria’s president defends end to fuel subsidy as hardship bites harder

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is defending his government’s decision to stop subsidizing fuel in the West African nation even as more states seek ways to cushion the resulting hardship on millions. Tinubu told governors Wednesday that the money saved by ending the subsidy and other government policies will help fight poverty in Nigeria. The subsidy was removed last week and has already boosted the price of transportation and commodities, causing more hardship in a country where many were already struggling with record high inflation and unemployment. Nigerian states are adopting various measures trying to assist citizens, especially workers commuting to work daily.