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Founder and General Overseer, World Evangelism Bible Church (WEBIC), Prophet Samson Ayorinde, has advised the Federal Government on what to do over the worsening energy crisis and insecurity in the country.
He noted that the ongoing war in the Middle East is to blame for rising fuel prices in the country and across the globe.
He spoke to the media during his Easter message where he also told journalists on the rebranding of services since he opened the new cathedral last May
Fuel and gas prices spiked worldwide when the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 2026. In retaliation, Iran banned oil vessels from using the Strait of Hormuz which handles 20 per cent of global trade. The ban led to hundreds of ships being stranded with their consignment for days. Supplies of fuel were negatively impacted. Countries responded by charging higher prices while embarking on rationing. Prices of petrol and diesel rose in Nigeria to N1,300 and N2000 respectively per litre.
Before the war broke out, petrol sold for N800 .The situation compounded the problem of epileptic electricity supply in the country. In some areas there were protests against rising cost of living
When asked about the way forward, Ayorinde said the solution lies in government encouraging investors to build more private refineries to complement what the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) offers. He said if not for Dangote Refinery, Nigerians would have been paying higher than the present prices.
“We thank God the President is listening to the cries of the masses. I understand his Health Minister has inaugurated the steering committee for Food Bank which will hand out food vouchers to vulnerable women and children in the country. Let us see how this eases the burden of the people.
“The Federal Government is also slashing tariff on vehicles. My question is, apart from corporate organisations and some very few wealthy individuals, how many Nigerians can afford buying vehicles now?.Youths are restless. They need jobs,” he said.
How can we get out of the energy crisis, Ayorinde was asked. He noted that if the Federal Government allows Dangote to buy crude in naira and not in dollars, the company has the capacity to meet the country’s consumption needs.
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“It will produce cheaper fuel and thus bring down inflation. This would have positive impact on corporate organisations by reducing their operational cost which may lead to more jobs being created and reduce youth restiveness. Artisans too will enjoy more patronage. But the government must also police our borders to stop smuggling of our fuel to neighbouring countries. More private refineries should also be encouraged through relaxed taxation and conducive environment to operate.”
The General Overseer also spoke on food inflation and how to bring down food prices. He said: “As in the energy sector, individuals including our youths must be encouraged to embrace agriculture. This would stop their endless search for white collar jobs that are very few. Agriculture loans with low interest rates will attract more people into the sector. Also, more states should venture into large scale agriculture to produce cheaper foodstuff. This would definitely force down prices as supplies far exceed demand. Excess supplies should be stored in silos.”
On the epileptic electricity supply, he noted that Nigeria has experienced more national grid collapse this year because the equipment can’t cope with the demand of more than 200 million people
“This country has abundant nature’s supply of sunshine that should be exploited to boost our supply. We should invest in solar power on industrial scale. For instance, the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and other desert countries are utilising abundant sun to their advantage economically,” he said.
On the persistent insecurity in the North resulting in more casualties, he said: “Modern warfare is fought with drones and missiles. Ukraine produces cheap drones which it has been using successfully in its war with Russia which broke out over four years ago. Why can’t our government collaborate with Ukraine and seek assistance in producing drones to fight bandits? Just recently, Ukraine President, Volodymr Zelenskyy was in the Middle East to possibly secure defence deal with the countries. Our Army is losing top officers. This may affect their morale. Our Army is well trained. They need better equipment to fight the terrorists. They are doing a good job. With more drones in their kitty, soldiers would be able to deal the decisive blow to terrorists. Security should attract more priority now as we approach elections in 2027 because of the penchant for violence of our politicians.”
He was also asked about the significance of the recently celebrated Easter for Christians. He said: “Christ came in the last days as God’s gift to the world to redeem us to his father. On Calvary, he made atonement for our sins. He died for three days and three nights, never to die again. He is in Heaven and living in our body for us to shine in this dark world. We should live our lives for Jesus because at the mention of his name, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God exalted him and gave him a name that’s above all other names.”
Prophet Ayorinde also spoke on the opening of the church cathedral last May. He said there is rebranding going on in the church.
“For instance, our crusade in November last year was spiced up when we invited popular gospel artistes to perform at the Agege Sports Stadium. Our youths were given a free hand to celebrate the church’s 30th anniversary.
“This year I have embarked on pastoral visits to some branches. I joined the Alapere, Ketu branch unannounced during their monthly ASK prayer programme in March. Impressed by the initiative of Pastor Babatunde Oluwadamilare, I went back in April. By the time I got there, there was a crowd waiting for me. I prayed for them, and anointed scores in attendance. I was impressed and promised to return in May,” he said.
