President Bola Tinubu asked lawmakers to approve N500 billion ($638 million) of spending to cushion the impact of the removal of gasoline subsidies in the West African nation. 

The money will be sourced from a supplementary budget of 819.5 billion naira approved earlier by lawmakers, according to a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas on Wednesday. 

The cost of transportation and food prices have soared in Africa’s most populous nation after Tinubu announced the end of fuel subsidies in his inauguration speech on May 29. Labor unions have demanded higher pay and other forms of compensation to cushion the higher cost of living caused by the subsidy cuts. Lawmakers will consider the request on Thursday. 

Bloomberg