President Bola Tinubu has ruled out a return to petrol subsidy, saying Nigeria cannot afford to reverse the policy after his administration removed it on his first day in office.

Tinubu made the declaration in Abuja during an event tagged ‘An Evening with the Original City Boy’, where he likened the country’s economic reforms to the biblical and Quranic account of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

According to him, you cannot ask Moses to go back to Egypt, insisting that Nigeria must continue moving forward rather than return to its past.

Tinubu defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that the government could no longer sustain the cost without risking the country’s finances.

The President also criticised political opponents promising to restore the subsidy, maintaining that the country must not reverse course on the policy.

Referring to the story of Moses and Musa leaving Egypt and facing the challenge of the Red Sea, Tinubu said the country must overcome its present difficulties instead of returning to previous policies.

He called on his supporters, particularly young people, to defend his administration’s policies through engagement and ideas ahead of the 2027 elections.

Tinubu also urged young supporters to mobilise voters across campuses, markets and villages, asking them to encourage eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The President said his administration would continue to pursue new ideas to move the country forward, adding: With your energy of support, never will we go back to Egypt.

President Tinubu assured Nigerian youths that they will not be excluded from his campaign, government or plans for the country’s future.

Tinubu emphasised the importance of young people in shaping Nigeria’s future, saying his administration’s decisions were guided by the understanding that the country’s future belonged to the younger generation rather than his own.

He described Nigeria as a promise to young people, insisting that the country’s future must reflect their aspirations and opportunities.

Tinubu added that the responsibility of building a country for future generations remained a key consideration in his approach to governance.