Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have criticised the Federal Government’s proposed 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) filling stations, questioning whether the measure will provide meaningful relief from rising living costs.

The criticism followed an announcement by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, that NNPC would offer discounted petrol for an initial period of 30 days, with priority given to public transport operators. Oyedele said the arrangement would allow the company to sell petrol at cost by temporarily foregoing its retail profit margin, rather than reinstating the former fuel subsidy regime. 

Atiku, through a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, described the intervention as temporary and insufficient to address the wider economic difficulties facing Nigerians. He questioned what would happen after the 30-day period, arguing that motorists and commuters could continue to face high fuel prices, transport fares and food costs.

The former vice-president also questioned the absence of publicly stated details on the amount consumers would save per litre and whether transport operators would pass any savings on to passengers through lower fares. He renewed his proposal for capped and budgeted production support tied to petrol refined in Nigeria, with safeguards to ensure that consumers benefit and domestic refining receives support. 

In a separate statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the NDC described the proposed discount as “tokenism and deceit.” The party argued that a one-month intervention would not adequately address the economic difficulties it associated with the removal of fuel subsidy and questioned whether NNPC retail outlets could serve enough Nigerians to make the arrangement effective.

The NDC also warned that concentrating discounted petrol sales at designated NNPC stations could lead to congestion, particularly if demand exceeds the outlets’ capacity. It accused the government of attempting to reintroduce subsidy indirectly, although the Finance Minister has maintained that the arrangement is a temporary margin discount rather than a return to the previous subsidy system. 

The Federal Government has presented the measure as part of wider efforts to cushion households and businesses against high fuel prices and rising transportation costs. However, the opposition parties’ reactions have placed the duration, coverage and practical impact of the proposed discount at the centre of the debate over how best to ease the cost-of-living burden.

While Atiku and the NDC have called for more sustainable relief, the government maintains that its arrangement is distinct from the former subsidy regime. The effectiveness of the intervention will depend in part on how the discount is implemented, the savings available to eligible consumers and whether any reduction in operators’ costs translates into lower transport fares.