Steering cable?
The steering cable shouldn't be tight. The cables don't normally need internal lubricant.
Try this. Take your steering cable loose at the pump nozzle and try to move the nozzle by hand to see that it's free. Then try and turn your steering cable to see if it's free. Find out which is tight....the cable or the nozzle. If it's the cable, look for kinks or any other sign of damage. Check to see if it's visibly worn or binding against something.