A new report by SBM Intelligence has revealed that a significant majority of Nigerians are in favour of restoring the petrol subsidy. The survey, which was conducted across 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory, found that 67.4% of respondents rejected the current petrol pricing policy. The report, titled Nigeria 2027: A Narrower Race, was based on face-to-face interviews with 1,103 eligible voters. The findings suggest that a substantial proportion of Nigerians are dissatisfied with the current petrol pricing policy.
The survey ranked petrol as the second-most cited national problem among respondents, accounting for 18.2%. The report gave the government’s handling of the issue a performance score of 1.69 out of four. The findings indicate that petrol has emerged as one of the major issues shaping public sentiment ahead of the 2027 elections. The report also noted that the concerns about petrol varied across different regions of the country.
The survey showed significant differences across the geopolitical zones. In the South-West, petrol was the leading concern, cited by 30.5% of respondents, followed by the economy at 20.2%. The South-South also ranked petrol as its biggest concern at 29.1%, with the economy following at 21.1%. In contrast, insecurity dominated the concerns of respondents in the South-East and North-Central regions.
The survey also found a significant difference between rural and urban respondents. Petrol was identified as the primary concern by 32.4% of rural respondents, compared with 11.7% of those living in urban areas. Concern about petrol also increased with age, rising from 19.6% among respondents aged 18 to 24 to 27.6% among those above 55. The findings suggest that rural respondents and older individuals are more concerned about petrol prices.
The survey comes amid continued increases in petrol prices across parts of the country. Recent checks cited in the report showed petrol selling for between N1,400 and N1,430 per litre in Lagos, while prices in Abuja ranged from N1,400 to N1,450 per litre. The development has continued to fuel debate over the Federal Government’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has also called for measures to cushion the impact of rising transportation costs on workers. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority said it lacked the legal authority to fix petrol pump prices, while promising increased surveillance against price gouging. The findings are expected to add fuel to the growing debate over petrol pricing as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 elections.
SBM Intelligence stressed that its findings should be viewed as a snapshot of stated sentiment among the respondents and not as a projection of the entire 2027 electorate. The report noted that the findings represent a snapshot of the views of those surveyed and do not account for historical voter turnout, population projections or INEC voter registration figures. The survey’s results provide valuable insights into the concerns of Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.
Key points
- 67.4% of Nigerians surveyed want the fuel subsidy reinstated.
- Petrol emerged as a major issue ahead of the 2027 elections, ranking as the second-most cited national problem.
- The concerns about petrol varied across different regions of the country, with rural respondents and older individuals more concerned about petrol prices.
