Oyedele Defends Fuel Surcharge as Vital for Road Repairs Amid Public Backlash.

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, said the proposed fuel surcharge is intended to generate a dedicated fund for Nigeria’s deteriorating roads, not to add extra strain on households.

Oyedele acknowledged public worries that recent tax reforms could worsen inflation but argued that improved road infrastructure is essential to lowering the cost of moving goods and people.

However, it has sparked anxiety about potential inflation, with the Trade Union Congress also threatening to call a nationwide strike if the Federal government fails to scrap the tax.

While he said the removal of fuel subsidies has opened fiscal space, the Chairman argued that subsidy revenues alone are insufficient to close Nigeria’s infrastructure gap.