Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's media office has expressed concerns over the Federal Government's decision to introduce a 30-day petrol discount at NNPC filling stations. In a statement released in Abuja, the office described the measure as insufficient, selective, and politically motivated. This criticism comes after the government announced the discount, which aims to cushion consumers against market fluctuations.
The Atiku Media Office argued that the government's intervention confirms Atiku's earlier proposal for a transparent, production-based approach to making locally refined petrol more affordable. The office noted that the Tinubu administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had previously maintained that petrol subsidy had been abolished, dismissing Atiku's proposal as economically unsustainable. However, the current decision to negotiate petrol price ceilings and introduce discounted sales raises questions about the consistency of the government's earlier position.
The statement questioned whether the change in policy was driven by economic realities or the approaching 2027 general elections. While acknowledging that any genuine effort to reduce the hardship faced by Nigerians is welcome, the office warned against using temporary interventions as political window-dressing. The government had announced that NNPC Retail, with over 900 outlets across the country, would offer the discounted petrol.
However, the Atiku Media Office raised concerns about the accessibility of the proposed discount, citing the distribution of NNPC Retail outlets. Many Nigerians living in communities without NNPC stations might have to travel considerable distances to access the discounted petrol. This could limit the effectiveness of the government's intervention in cushioning the effects of rising petrol prices.
The media office further cited an alleged July 2026 NNPC report, which placed petrol availability across its retail network at 52 percent. The office questioned how the government could guarantee nationwide relief through a network that had allegedly struggled to maintain consistent petrol availability. This concern highlights the challenges in implementing the government's plan.
The statement also challenged the government's description of the proposed intervention as neither a subsidy nor price control. The office questioned the mechanism through which refiners and importers would recover any shortfall created by government-negotiated price ceilings, asking whether the eventual cost would be borne by public resources, NNPC revenues, or consumers. This ambiguity raises concerns about the sustainability of the government's plan.
The Atiku Media Office maintained that an intervention involving the transfer or postponement of costs, or the use of public resources to reduce petrol prices, raised legitimate subsidy-related questions regardless of the terminology used. The office emphasized the need for a more comprehensive and sustainable solution to address the challenges faced by Nigerians due to rising petrol prices.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar's media office criticizes the government's 30-day petrol discount as insufficient and politically motivated.
- The government's intervention confirms Atiku's earlier proposal for a transparent, production-based approach to making locally refined petrol more affordable.
- The Atiku Media Office raises concerns about the accessibility and sustainability of the government's plan.
