Tinubu’s 30-Day Petrol Discount Sparks Fury as Nigerians Accuse Government of Electoral Bribe and Propaganda

The Federal Government’s announcement of a 30-day discount on petrol at NNPC filling stations has been met with widespread condemnation, with opposition parties, economists and ordinary Nigerians describing the measure as a desperate electoral bribe and a propaganda stunt ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The controversy erupted after Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, announced that NNPC Retail would sell petrol at cost for 30 days, forgoing its profit margin, with priority given to public transporters nationwide. “We are offering a discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited for the next 30 days in the first instance with priority for public transporters nationwide. So, it’s not a subsidy, government is just saying we sell to you at cost,” Oyedele said in a statement shared on his official X account.

The government also announced it was negotiating a ceiling of N1,350 per litre on the ex-gantry or landing cost of petrol to keep pump prices stable. Where costs rise above the ceiling, refiners and importers would carry the shortfall and recover it later when crude prices or the exchange rate allow.

But the announcement has ignited a firestorm of criticism. In a viral post on X, user @Mister_Mash wrote: “Taiwo Oyedele is useful to this administration because he uses refined English to say utter nonsense. You are already buying fuel at 1330 – 1370, so pegging it at 1350 hasn’t really done anything. It’s just the usual governance by propaganda”. The user pointed out the absurdity of the measure, noting that if fuel prices were to fall below N1,350 for any reason, they would not reduce because the price is already capped at that level.

Another user, @Imranmuhdz, shared the minister’s quote and added a sharp rejoinder: “Where are the tribalistic idiots now when I proposed this? Clearly, the fuel subsidy removal did not work. This is an admission by the FG that the policy was a stupid mistake. Stop listening to the IMF. They don’t mean well for us”. The user also highlighted the contradiction in the government’s language: “You are selling below market rate but you are saying it is not subsidy. Lmaoo. All because of election. Nigerians are wiser”. Another commenter in the thread stated: “So it is not subsidy, it is a 30 day government-funded discount on petrol sold below what Nigerians would otherwise pay? Oga, what exactly do you think subsidy means? You can rename Jollof rice ‘riced tomato carbohydrate’, it is still Jollof rice man”.

The Presidency, through Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, attempted to manage the fallout by issuing a clarification. Onanuga wrote on X: “Before they start circulating fake news: Please get some clarity on the raft of measures announced by the Tinubu administration today. is this: ‘A margin discount at NNPC stations. We are offering a discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited for the next 30 days, with priority for public transporters nationwide.’ -Finance Minister”. The response to his post was equally unforgiving. One user replied: “The grand patron of bigots, if you like reintroduce fuel subsidy and return the fuel price to N300, Tinubu must go, Nigerians have rejected APC and Tinubu”.

Opposition parties have also weighed in. The African Democratic Congress described the measure as a “desperate attempt to bribe Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections”. The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation called it “deceitful” and “an offensive” to Nigerians. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the initiative as a “panic-driven publicity stunt,” arguing that “Tinubu’s government cannot spend years telling Nigerians to endure, then offer 30 days of relief and call it a solution”.

The controversy has also drawn attention to the broader pattern of governance under the Tinubu administration. The petrol discount comes after the government spent months insisting that the removal of the fuel subsidy was necessary and that Nigerians must endure the pain for long-term economic gain. Now, with elections approaching, the government is offering a temporary discount that it refuses to call a subsidy. The timing has led many to conclude that the measure is less about economic policy and more about political survival.

The government’s insistence that the discount is not funded by the public purse but by NNPC Retail’s profit margin has done little to quell the anger. Critics argue that NNPC is a state-owned company, and its profits belong to the Federation. Forgoing those profits is equivalent to spending public funds, whether the government calls it a subsidy or a margin discount. The semantic gymnastics have only reinforced the perception that the administration is more interested in managing public perception than in providing lasting relief to Nigerians.

As the 2027 elections approach, the petrol discount is likely to remain a flashpoint. For millions of Nigerians who are still struggling with the high cost of living, the 30-day measure is too little and too late. And for a government that has spent years telling citizens to tighten their belts, the sudden burst of generosity has been met with the skepticism it deserves.

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