ABUJA, NIGERIA — Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has faulted the Federal Government’s petrol discount initiative, questioning whether the programme can provide meaningful relief to Nigerians amid rising fuel prices and the high cost of living.
In a statement shared on his X handle, Obi argued that restricting the discount to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Retail stations would leave most filling stations outside the scheme.
According to Obi, Nigeria has approximately 24,000 petrol stations, while NNPC Retail operates about 900 outlets. He said this would mean that fewer than four per cent of the country’s petrol stations would offer the discount.
The former Anambra State governor also questioned the programme’s reach, using an estimated national population of 243 million to illustrate the number of people potentially relying on each NNPC Retail outlet.
He argued that the arrangement could lead to overcrowding and make it difficult for many Nigerians to access the temporary price reduction.
Obi Questions Reach Of Petrol Discount
Obi said the discount of ₦66 per litre, with priority given to public transport operators, was insufficient to address the wider economic challenges facing Nigerians.
He maintained that the government needed a more comprehensive approach to reducing the cost of living rather than introducing a temporary measure with limited coverage.
The Federal Government announced the discount as part of efforts to cushion the impact of elevated global crude oil prices on households and businesses.
The government said NNPC Retail would forgo its petrol retail profit margin and sell fuel at cost during the intervention period, with the initiative initially announced for 30 days.
NNPC subsequently confirmed that the discount would continue until October 31, 2026, while insisting that the measure did not amount to a restoration of the former petrol subsidy regime.
The company said the initiative applied to NNPC Retail outlets and did not establish a uniform national pump price or change the market-based pricing framework for petroleum products.
Obi Calls For Subsidy Restoration
Beyond criticising the discount, Obi said his assessment of Nigeria’s revenue and revenue potential under what he described as an incorruptible, transparent and competent government supported restoring subsidies.
He argued that assistance should extend beyond petrol to agriculture, healthcare, education and infrastructure.
According to him, the objective should be to make essential goods and services more affordable while ensuring that public resources are managed transparently.
Obi said he would provide a more detailed explanation of his position on fuel subsidy and outline a policy roadmap for what he described as fair, transparent and affordable petroleum pricing.
His position follows recent public debate over his approach to subsidy removal. During a BBC interview on October 6, he said he would restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027, arguing that corruption associated with the former system was the central problem.
Obi has maintained that subsidy support could be retained under a different framework designed to prevent abuse and improve accountability.
Government Defends Its Intervention
The government has presented the petrol discount as a temporary relief measure rather than a reversal of its subsidy-removal policy.
NNPC said the initiative was intended to cushion the effect of higher fuel prices on transport costs, household budgets and business operations.
The company also urged Nigerians not to interpret the discount as the reintroduction of petroleum subsidy.
However, the restriction to NNPC Retail outlets remains a central issue in the debate over the initiative’s accessibility. The discount does not automatically apply at every filling station, and reports indicate that eligible motorists must use the NNPC Fuel App to benefit.
These conditions have raised questions about how easily motorists can access the reduction, particularly in areas with fewer NNPC Retail outlets.
Obi Criticises Government’s Economic Approach
Obi described the October 1 policy announcement as “political optics masked as policy,” arguing that Nigerians needed lasting measures to address the rising cost of living.
He said effective governance should focus on policies that improve household welfare through affordable pricing and honest administration.
The former presidential candidate also argued that Nigeria’s natural resources and revenue potential could support a broader development strategy if managed transparently and competently.
He concluded by calling for a change in the country’s approach to economic management, maintaining that temporary discounts alone would not resolve the deeper challenges facing Nigerians.
The debate over the initiative comes as the Federal Government seeks to provide short-term relief from rising petrol prices while maintaining that it has not reversed its broader market-based pricing policy.
