The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), says subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, is no longer sustainable.
Mr Mike Osatuyi, the National Operations Controller of IPMAN, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, condemned payment of subsidy on petrol.
Osatuyi said this against the backdrop of the ongoing hike in the pump price of petrol in filling stations across the country.
He said the federal government had N20.51 trillion expenditure in the 2023 budget against a revenue of N9.7 trillion, leaving a deficit of N10.78 trilliion.
Osatuyi said the government hoped to finance subsidy on petrol up to June 2023 at a cost of N3.6 trillion, using Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official rate of N435 to a dollar.
He said the subsidy regime had led to increase in budget deficit and caused borrowing setbacks to the economy.
He urged the government to put all necessary palliatives in place to cushion the negative effects of the imminent increase in price of petrol before removing subsidy.
