Nigeria, Oct. 15 -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday urged the Nigerian government and other African economies to ensure that savings realised from subsidy removal policies are channelled towards social protection for poor and vulnerable people in their countries.

Zeine Zeidane, Director of the African Department of the IMF, made this known at the presentation of the Regional Economic Outlook Update for Sub-Saharan Africa on the sidelines of the World Bank/IMF annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking in response to questions on the tension generated by subsidy removal by the government in Nigeria and other African economies, Mr Zeidane said that it becomes imperative for the government to protect the poor in the f...