LAGOS, Nigeria — Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has renewed calls for state-controlled policing and rejected proposals to restore Nigeria’s petrol subsidy, placing security and the cost of living at the center of an intensifying debate ahead of the country’s 2027 general election.
Sanwo-Olu made the comments Thursday at the seventh annual Freedom Online lecture in Lagos, where he addressed Nigeria’s economy, security challenges and preparations for the election. He argued that experience in Lagos shows local authorities can play a larger role in protecting communities while remaining accountable to residents.
The governor pointed to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, established in 2007, and the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps as examples of locally supported security structures working alongside federal agencies. “Lagos has been running a version of it for almost 20 years,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Nigeria currently operates a centrally controlled national police force. Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution establishes the Nigeria Police Force and bars the creation of another police force for the federation or any part of it, meaning a full state-police system requires constitutional change. The federal government has also been developing a national policing framework covering recruitment, training, financing, oversight and accountability.
Supporters say state police could help authorities respond more quickly to kidnapping, banditry, insurgency and other crimes because officers would have greater knowledge of local communities. Critics, however, fear governors could use state security forces against political opponents unless strong safeguards, independent oversight and reliable funding are built into the system. Those concerns have been raised during the continuing debate over Nigeria’s policing reforms.
Sanwo-Olu also warned that persistent insecurity could affect the 2027 election by restricting political campaigns, complicating the movement of election officials and discouraging voters in areas affected by violence. He urged electoral and security agencies to begin preparing early for potential threats.
On the economy, Sanwo-Olu defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the long-standing petrol subsidy after taking office in May 2023. He said the program had consumed resources that could otherwise have been directed toward roads, schools, hospitals and other public services, while acknowledging that its removal had imposed significant hardship on households.
The issue has returned to the forefront of Nigerian politics after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, pledged to restore a form of petrol subsidy if elected. Atiku has argued that Nigerians have not benefited sufficiently from the savings promised after the subsidy was removed and has questioned how those funds have been used. “I will restore subsidy,” he said last month.
Sanwo-Olu rejected that approach, describing promises to restore the old system as financially unrealistic. His position mirrors arguments from the governing All Progressives Congress that bringing back broad subsidies could again consume substantial public revenue. The opposition counters that government policy must offer more immediate relief to families struggling with transportation, food and energy costs.
The subsidy debate is being closely watched beyond Nigeria. Africa’s major oil producer has sought to convince investors that difficult economic reforms are improving public finances and creating a more predictable investment environment. Nigeria’s economy grew 4.43% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, while Moody’s recently upgraded the country’s outlook to positive, though affordability pressures and weak government revenue remain concerns.
For voters, however, the political test is increasingly focused on whether improving economic indicators translate into lower living costs and whether security reforms make communities safer. With the 2027 campaign gathering momentum, the competing arguments over petrol prices and policing are likely to become defining issues as Tinubu’s allies defend his record and opposition candidates seek to persuade Nigerians that a different approach would provide faster relief.
