The Federal Government has defended its 30-day petrol discount initiative, saying the temporary measure is designed to ease the financial burden on Nigerians amid rising international energy prices, while maintaining that it does not amount to a return to fuel subsidy.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave the assurance on Monday during an interactive media engagement with senior editors and broadcast anchors in Abuja. He said the government’s broader economic reforms were intended to improve living conditions, reduce the impact of rising costs and sustain the country’s economic recovery.
According to Idris, the petrol discount initiative is a temporary intervention aimed at providing relief to consumers as international energy costs rise. He explained that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) had considered reducing part of its profits to help cushion the effects of higher petrol prices on Nigerians.
“The NNPC has looked at it and said, ‘Okay, we are making this much profit. Why can’t we forgo some of the profit that we are making, so that Nigerians will have some form of cushioning?’” Idris said.
He stressed that the arrangement should not be interpreted as the reintroduction of fuel subsidy, but rather as an effort to provide temporary relief while the government continues implementing its economic policies.
The minister acknowledged that many households were still struggling with economic pressures but insisted that the ongoing reforms must lead to visible improvements in people’s daily lives. He pointed to indicators such as declining inflation, stronger external reserves and increased non-oil export earnings as evidence of progress.
However, he said the government’s priority was to ensure that the gains recorded at the macroeconomic level translated into meaningful benefits for ordinary Nigerians.
“Our task now is to ensure that this clear macroeconomic recovery is felt even more widely in the lives and households of Nigerians,” Idris stated.
Addressing the rising cost of living, the minister said the Federal Government remained committed to resolving outstanding issues with organised labour through dialogue. He also highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s position that minimum wage arrangements could be reviewed every three years rather than the existing five-year interval.
Idris further pointed to government support for domestic agricultural production and efforts to strengthen strategic food reserves as part of measures to improve food availability and ease pressure on prices. He urged traders to avoid hoarding food and engaging in practices that could create artificial scarcity and push prices higher.
“The government can create these enablers for Nigerians to have succour, but it is ultimately up to Nigerians to also support what the government is doing,” he said.
On infrastructure, Idris explained that ongoing road projects were intended to improve transportation links, support agricultural activities, facilitate trade and create economic corridors that would help businesses grow. He rejected suggestions that the projects were being undertaken primarily for electoral purposes.
“Nobody is fixing roads just because there is election. We are fixing roads so that Nigerians can have access on these roads, so that it can connect cities, create these economic corridors for businesses to thrive,” the minister said.
He also addressed concerns about press freedom and reports of citizens being arrested for expressing political opinions. Idris said he was unaware of any directive from President Tinubu authorising the repression of the media.
However, he urged media organisations to uphold professional standards, verify information before publication and avoid misleading or sensational headlines. He maintained that press freedom should go hand in hand with accountability and responsible reporting.
“Press freedom is not just one thing that is just hanging in the air. It is also having something attached to it, and that is the responsibility of those who are exercising it,” Idris added.
The minister’s remarks come as the government seeks to defend its economic reform programme while responding to concerns over petrol prices, food costs and the wider cost of living.
