MorgANABLE politics/Governance
In announcing the initiative, the Minister Of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, said the government was seeking to provide temporary relief without reversing the policy of subsidy removal.
KaNo—
The Federal Government has come under criticism from opposition political parties and political organisations over its proposed 30-day petrol discount, with critics describing the intervention as inadequate, temporary and politically motivated.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Obidient Movement, the Nigeria Democratic Congress and the presidential campaign organisation of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, faulted the initiative, questioning its sustainability and the government’s commitment to easing the economic hardship experienced by Nigerians since the removal of petrol subsidy.
The criticism followed Thursday’s announcement by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited would temporarily forgo its retail profit margin to sell petrol at a discounted cost at its filling stations nationwide.
The initiative, which will run for 30 days, is intended to cushion households against the impact of global crude oil price shocks, with public transport operators given priority.
However, the Presidency maintained that the arrangement, backed by President Bola Tinubu, did not represent a return to the petrol subsidy regime, which was abolished on May 29, 2023.
Energy experts also expressed mixed reactions to the announcement, with some welcoming the temporary relief while others questioned whether the arrangement could constitute another form of subsidy if its financial implications were not transparently managed.
In announcing the initiative, Oyedele said the government was seeking to provide temporary relief without reversing the policy of subsidy removal.
“We are offering a discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited for the next 30 days, with priority for public transporters nationwide,” he said.
The announcement, however, triggered criticism from opposition figures who argued that a month-long discount would do little to address the broader consequences of rising petrol prices, including higher transportation costs, food prices and pressure on household incomes.
Atiku, through a statement issued by the Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, described the intervention as a “panic-driven publicity stunt”.
The former vice-president questioned the timing of the announcement and accused the government of attempting to use temporary relief to deflect criticism of its economic policies.
“Atiku totally rejects this calendar-scheduled, election-laced subsidy package. Nigerians are not fools to be offered a month of discounted fuel after years of punishing prices and then expected to forget the hardship when the discount expires. This is shameless and heartless,” the statement read.
Atiku also questioned what would happen after the 30-day period, arguing that Nigerians would return to paying the same high prices once the initiative ended.
“What happens on Day 31? Nigerians wake up to the same brutal prices, the same punishing transport fares and the same rising cost of food. The government cannot manufacture relief for one month and expect Nigerians to applaud while the hardship remains,” he said.
He further questioned why the discount would be restricted to NNPC filling stations, raising concerns about the availability of participating stations and whether private transport operators would pass the savings on to commuters.
Atiku also faulted the absence of a confirmed discount amount per litre and clear guarantees that the intervention would translate into lower transport fares.
He argued that the initiative supported his proposal for production assistance tied to domestically refined petrol, which he said could provide more sustainable relief to consumers.
“This volte-face proves that the production-support proposal I have advanced is workable, achievable and not complicated,” he said.
Atiku called for capped and budgeted production support for domestically refined petrol, backed by safeguards to ensure that consumers benefit from any government intervention.
He maintained that Nigerians needed a lasting reduction in the cost of living rather than a temporary measure that would expire after one month.
Similarly, the Obidient Movement questioned the timing of the discount, suggesting that the approaching 2027 general elections could have influenced the government’s decision.
In a statement by its Director of Media and Communications, Onyeka Dike, the movement asked why the administration had waited more than three years after subsidy removal before introducing the intervention.
“For three years, Tinubu told Nigerians that the ‘baby steps of pain’ were necessary. Now, suddenly, a petrol discount is possible. So, what changed?” Dike asked.
He also questioned whether the government’s position had changed because of political pressure from opposition figures, particularly Peter Obi’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy.
“Did subsidy suddenly become good because Peter Obi said he would restore it? Why the desperation as elections approach?” he said.
Dike argued that Nigerians had experienced rising petrol prices, increased taxes, higher tuition fees and escalating food costs since the removal of subsidy.
“The pains were never necessary. They were policy choices,” he said.
The movement urged Nigerians not to be persuaded by temporary relief measures, insisting that the government should prioritise sustainable access to affordable fuel, food and education.
“Three years of suffering cannot be erased by 30 days of petrol discount,” Dike added.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress also rejected the intervention, describing it as “tokenism and a Greek gift from a government that whimsically removed fuel subsidy without proper consideration, consultation, or cushions for Nigerians.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, argued that the discount would not reverse the economic consequences of subsidy removal, which he said included job losses and business closures.
“Nigerians cannot be deceived,” he said.
Director also questioned whether NNPC filling stations had the capacity to serve the country’s population under the proposed arrangement, warning that limiting the discount to the company’s outlets could lead to congestion and possible stampedes.
“The attempt to reintroduce petrol subsidy through the backdoor is not only mischievous but a sign of a government in free fall, ready to clutch at anything to survive,” he said.
The party subsequently urged Nigerians to support Peter Obi and other NDC candidates in the 2027 elections, declaring that “A New Nigeria is POssible with Obi.”
Also reacting, the Allied Peoples Movement Presidential Campaign Organisation associated with Makinde described the intervention as deceptive and insufficient to address the burden of high petrol prices.
In a statement issued by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa, the organisation criticised what it described as a N60-per-litre discount, arguing that the reduction was insignificant compared with previous increases in petrol prices.
“It is a slap in the face of the suffering citizens that at the time they expected an impactful reduction in the astronomically high pump price of petrol, the Tinubu government came out on national media to announce an infinitesimal and ‘microscopic’ discount of N60,” the statement read.
The organisation questioned why the government had opted for what it described as a marginal reduction after implementing substantial increases in petrol prices.
It argued that the proposed discount was an attempt to gain political advantage ahead of the next general elections rather than provide meaningful economic relief.
“The question is, why is it that the Tinubu administration that is so quick in carrying out geometric increase in the price of petrol by up to 733% is now embarking on arithmetic ratio in decrease with a teeny N60 in a desperate attempt to score a cheap political point just because elections are around the corner,” the statement said.
The competing positions have placed the proposed intervention under scrutiny, particularly over its duration, scope and potential impact on consumers.
While the government has presented the initiative as a temporary response to global oil price pressures, opposition groups insist that a 30-day discount cannot address the underlying challenges associated with high petrol prices and the wider cost of living.
Questions also remain over how the discount will be implemented across NNPC outlets, how transport operators will benefit and whether any savings will be reflected in passenger fares.
