KEY POINTS
- NNPC petrol discounts have started in some states, but prices remain unchanged in several locations.
- Transport fares have yet to fall despite cheaper petrol at participating outlets.
- Experts demand transparency, while PETROAN seeks 30% of the discounted fuel supply.
The Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount initiative at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd, retail stations has recorded a slow start across the country, with prices falling in some locations but remaining unchanged in several others.
The intervention is intended to ease the financial pressure on households, businesses and transport operators amid persistently high petrol prices and rising living costs.
However, the early impact has been uneven, with motorists in some states already benefiting from reduced pump prices while consumers elsewhere continue to pay the old rates.
The initiative also appears to have made little difference to transportation costs. Commercial transport operators in several cities have maintained their existing fares despite the reductions at participating NNPC stations.
The Federal Government has described the initiative as a temporary customer relief measure rather than a return to the petrol subsidy regime, which was removed in 2023.
Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Taiwo Oyedele, alongside NNPC officials, said the discount would be funded through the company’s retail profit margin without requiring direct governments expenditures.
Lagos, Abeokuta and Osogbo record price reductions
In Lagos, NNPC retail outlets have begun selling petrol at reduced prices, but commercial transport fares across the metropolis remained largely unchanged.
In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the price of petrol at the NNPC Mega station near the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library fell to ₦1,355 per litre from ₦1,380.
A source at the station said customers using the company’s application to pay for fuel could receive an additional discount of ₦66.
The outlet also said it was sensitising motorists about the price reduction and expressed optimism that more customers would benefit as awareness of the initiative increased.
Some motorists welcomed the development, describing it as a step towards reducing the cost of transportation and food.
A commercial tricycle operator in Abeokuta, Afeez Solaja, said cheaper petrol could help ease the burden on transport operators and passengers. However, he urged the government to pursue further reductions to make fuel more affordable.
In Osogbo, the Osun State capital, NNPC stations in areas including Oke-Ayepe, Okini, Abere, Lameco, Powerline, Ogo-Oluwa and Ring Road have also implemented the directive.
Despite the lower prices, commuters said transport fares had not changed. They complained that transport operators often increase fares when petrol becomes more expensive but are reluctant to reverse those increases when fuel prices fall.
Civil servant Ope Bello called on the Osun State Government to engage transport unions and other stakeholders to encourage fair pricing and ensure passengers benefit from the lower fuel costs.
However, a commercial driver identified as Muhideen argued that the discount was too small to justify travelling out of his way to buy petrol from an NNPC station.
He said transport operators must also contend with vehicle maintenance, spare parts, tyres and other daily operating expenses when determining fares.
