Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms (PCFPTR), has called on Nigerians to stop using the phrase, “May Nigeria never happen to you,” urging a shift in perspective about the country’s challenges and potential.
Speaking at a recent event, Oyedele emphasized that while Nigeria faces governance issues, the country itself is not the problem. He drew a comparison with the United States, stating, “In America, people face challenges like gun violence every day, but have you ever heard Americans say, ‘May America never happen to you?’” Instead, he suggested a more optimistic phrase: “May Nigeria work for me.”
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He highlighted key reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, as significant steps toward addressing structural issues in the economy. “Subsidy removal is one of the best decisions we’ve made as a country. We were living in a false reality where petrol seemed cheap and the naira exchange rate appeared stable, but both were unsustainable,” he explained.
Oyedele pointed out that Nigeria had been using nearly all its revenue to service debt, borrowing to fund salaries and other expenditures, while inflation soared due to excessive money printing. “We printed nearly N40 trillion, yet were surprised there was inflation. The invisible controls the visible, and structural changes like subsidy removal will bring tangible benefits over time,” he said.
The Chairman encouraged Nigerians to embrace these reforms and look forward with optimism, believing that the worst of the country’s economic challenges are behind us.