The Obidient Movement has faulted the Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount, demanding transparency in fuel pricing and proposing a policy that would allow Nigerians to pay half the reference price of petrol under a Peter Obi administration.
The criticism follows an explanation by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, that the N66-per-litre discount introduced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Retail was funded from its profit margin and did not amount to a return to fuel subsidy.
In a statement issued on Friday, the movement’s Head of Media and Communications Directorate, Onyeka Dike, questioned the government’s fuel consumption figures and the financial arrangements surrounding petroleum interventions.
It contrasted President Bola Tinubu’s September 2024 statement that daily petrol consumption had fallen to around 30-something million litres following subsidy removal with the approximately 50 million litres reportedly cited by Oyedele in October 2026.
“How did Nigeria move from thirty-something million litres to 50 million litres? Where is the independently verifiable data supporting this figure?” the movement asked.
It urged the Federal Government to publish its consumption data, explain its calculation methods and disclose the costs, beneficiaries and volumes covered by petroleum-related interventions.
The group also alleged that subsidy-like payments had continued under descriptions such as under-recovery and energy security costs despite the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023.
However, Oyedele maintained that the NNPC Retail discount was a commercial decision rather than a government-funded subsidy.
In a statement shared on his X account on Friday, he explained that the retailer had reduced its profit margin to lower pump prices, insisting that no public funds were being used to finance the initiative, which commenced on October 1, 2026.
He added that increased sales and customer loyalty could offset the reduced earnings per litre, potentially boosting overall profits and dividends to the Federation.
The minister also cited other government measures to ease energy costs, including expanding compressed natural gas transportation, waiving taxes and duties on petrol and removing illegal levies that increase transportation costs.
Despite the explanation, the Obidient Movement said Obi would restore fuel subsidy if elected on a transparent and verifiable basis.
Under its proposed Half Price Policy, an independent panel would publish weekly petrol reference prices based on international benchmarks, freight charges and verified domestic costs.
The movement said payments would be tied to actual sales recorded through metered filling station pumps, supported by digital tracking from refineries to retail outlets to prevent inflated claims and fictitious consumption.
It also proposed monthly public reports detailing petrol volumes sold, reference prices, subsidy payments, beneficiaries, penalties and independent audit findings, subject to legislative and budgetary approval by the National Assembly.
The group further called for transparent access to crude oil for domestic refineries, audits of energy security contracts and stronger measures against corruption and inflated security costs in the petroleum sector.
It argued that Nigerians should not have to choose between affordable petrol and accountable governance, insisting that any intervention must be backed by verifiable data and proper oversight.
“Every litre must be verified. Every payment must be justified. Every naira must be accounted for,” the statement said.
