"Several things are still on plan," Ahmed told reporters in Abuja after the government's cabinet meeting. "Some we can start executing quickly while some are of long-term implementation." The World Bank said in 2021 it expected the COVID-19 crisis to
push over 11 million Nigerians into poverty by 2022 , taking the total number of people classified as poor in the country to over 100 million. The total population is estimated at 200 million.
Ahmed said discussions were going on at different levels
of government and with members of the incoming administration of
President-elect Bola Tinubu on the subsidy removal.
Last week, Labour Minister Chris Ngige recommended that
Tinubu's new administration give public sector workers pay rises
after removing a fuel subsidy in June. Tinubu will take office
in May, when Buhari steps down.
Many Nigerians regard cheap subsidised fuel as at least one
benefit they receive from the state, which fails to deliver
other basic services such as electricity and security despite
receiving billions of dollars every year from oil exports.
(Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing
by Jan Harvey, Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis)
