Nigeria Revenue Service Chairman(NRS) Zacch Adedeji has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy, describing it as a major economic reform.

Adedeji said the government’s recent economic gains largely stem from the subsidy removal, which he described as an unsustainable policy that placed heavy pressure on public finances.

He argued that Tinubu inherited an economy affected by high subsidy costs, a weak oil sector and a narrow tax base, forcing the administration to make difficult reforms.

According to Adedeji, keeping the subsidy could have pushed Nigeria’s subsidy bill to about ₦53 trillion, while the naira could have weakened to around ₦3,500 to the dollar.

He also rejected criticism of the reforms, saying the government has made fundamental changes to Nigeria’s economic structure.

Adedeji urged Nigerians to support the reforms, describing Tinubu’s decision as an act of statesmanship rather than politics.