Goodluck Jonathan

====2012 Occupy Nigeria protests====
{{Main|Occupy Nigeria}}
On 1 January 2012, the Jonathan administration announced the start of a controversial plan to end fuel subsidies.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16379231|title=Nigeria fuel subsidy end raises protest fears|date=1 January 2012|access-date=21 June 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313163743/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16379231|archive-date=13 March 2018|work=BBC News}}</ref> Following the [[Nigeria Labour Congress]]' warning that the country faces many strikes, the country unions followed up with strikes that were matched with [[Occupy Nigeria|civil protests]] from 9–13 January 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nigerians Protest Removal of Fuel Subsidy, 2012 |url=https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/nigerians-protest-removal-fuel-subsidy-2012|website=Global Nonviolent Action Database|access-date=31 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/nigeria/12119.pdf|title=Parliament of the Streets|last=Lakemfa|first=Owei}}</ref> Protesters and groups called for Jonathan to resign over the removal of fuel subsidies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/01/03/protests-in-lagos-ibadan-over-removal-of-subsidy/|title=Protests in Lagos, Ibadan Over Removal of Subsidy|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130144856/http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/01/03/protests-in-lagos-ibadan-over-removal-of-subsidy/|archive-date=30 January 2012|access-date=5 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201112140825.html|title=Subsidy Removal: CNPP Calls for Jonathan's Resignation|author=Shuaib Shuaib|date=14 December 2011|publisher=AllAfrica|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212003136/http://allafrica.com/stories/201112140825.html|archive-date=12 December 2013|access-date=5 January 2012}}</ref> After five days of national protests and strikes, on 16 January, Jonathan announced that the pump price of petroleum would be 97 [[Nigerian naira|naira]] per litre compared to a post-subsidy level of 147 naira.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Nigerian-Unions-President-Fail-to-Resolve-Subsidy-Stalemate-137358213.html/|title=Nigeria Cuts Fuel Prices After Strike, Protests|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119064247/http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Nigerian-Unions-President-Fail-to-Resolve-Subsidy-Stalemate-137358213.html|archive-date=19 January 2012}}</ref>

In 2012, upon the partial removal of petrol subsidies, the Jonathan administration instituted a subsidy re-investment programme designed to spend the money saved from partial petrol price deregulation on physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, etc., across the country. The [[SURE-P|Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program]] (SURE-P) was also intended to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality.

The government followed the advice of international experts that claimed the fuel subsidy ($8 billion per year, or 25% of the government annual budget)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.one.org/us/2012/02/08/faq-the-fuel-subsidy-protests-in-nigeria/|title=FAQ: The fuel subsidy protests in Nigeria|date=8 February 2012|website=One|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206101052/http://www.one.org/us/2012/02/08/faq-the-fuel-subsidy-protests-in-nigeria/|archive-date=6 February 2015}}</ref> was not sustainable. [[Brookings Institution]], a think tank, praised the government's move, arguing that the subsidy crowds out other development spending, like education, and that it discourages investment in the country's economic lifeblood, the oil sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2012/01/10-fuel-subsidies-nigeria-songwe|title=Removal of Fuel Subsidies in Nigeria: An Economic Necessity and a Political Dilemma|date=10 January 2012|website=Brookings|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206102522/http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2012/01/10-fuel-subsidies-nigeria-songwe|archive-date=6 February 2015}}</ref> In his book, "My Transition Hours", Goodluck Jonathan said that subsidy was consuming too much of our revenues and the public believed that the sector was highly corrupt. He mentioned that the Minister of Finance [[Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala|Ngozi Okonjo Iweala]] briefed him about the corrupt practices that a technical committee she had put together discovered. He said that he was alarmed that billions of naira was being lost by the nation through the subsidy regime.<ref>{{cite book|title=My Transition Hours|last1=Jonathan|first1=Goodluck|date=2018|publisher=Ezekiel Books|isbn=9781732492264|page=20}}</ref>

Many prominent Nigerians spoke out against the removal of the subsidy. Former Petroleum Minister Professor Tam David-West spoke out and expressed concern that the planned removal of the fuel subsidy will squeeze the economy, increase inflation, and hurt both businesses and the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/business/27455-subsidy-removal%C2%A0will-choke-economy,-says-david-west.html|title=Subsidy removal will choke economy, says David-West|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127085902/http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/business/27455-subsidy-removal%C2%A0will-choke-economy%2C-says-david-west.html|archive-date=27 November 2011}}</ref> A former military Head of State and a former Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, General [[Muhammadu Buhari]], urged Jonathan not to remove the fuel subsidy and to tackle corruption.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201112140239.html|title=Buhari to Jonathan&nbsp;– Leave Subsidy, Tackle Graft|author=Abbas Jimoh|date=14 December 2011|publisher=AllAfrica}}</ref> [[Yakubu Gowon]], another former military Head of State, warned the government that the country's infrastructure should be revived before fuel subsidy removal steps were taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/29461-gowon-to-jonathan%3A-don’t-remove-subsidy-now.html|title=Gowon to Jonathan: don't remove subsidy now|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011035742/http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/29461-gowon-to-jonathan%3A-don%E2%80%99t-remove-subsidy-now.html|archive-date=11 October 2013}}</ref> Former military president Gen. [[Ibrahim Babangida]], joined millions of Nigerians protesting against the removal of the fuel subsidy by the Jonathan administration, saying that the action is ill-timed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ibb-deregulation-ill-timed/106317/|title=IBB: Deregulation Ill-timed|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109005010/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ibb-deregulation-ill-timed/106317|archive-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>