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Motorists express worry over non-access to NNPC petrol discount – EnviroNews
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Many motorists say in spite of the discount in pump price of petrol at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd.) filling stations, they are yet to access the product.
The motorists attributed the reason to not having the NNPC mobile application.
They said the company told them that the discounted fuel could only be accessed through the app.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, had announced the discount on petrol prices and subsidy-related products.
According to Oyedele, the pump price of petrol will sell for N1,350, the landing cost at all NNPC filling stations across the country.
The discount, according to the minister which will be for a month, is aimed at giving Nigerians some measure of relief.
Checks on Sunday, October 11, 2026, in Abuja observed that petrol was being sold at N1,405 per litre to customers paying directly at the pumps, while those using the company’s mobile application paid N1,339 per litre.
A motorist in Abuja, Mr. Babatunde Atoye, said the discount was not automatically available to customers at filling stations.
Atoye said motorists had to access the discount through the company’s mobile application.
A petrol attendant, who pleaded anonymity, said motorists and consumers could only make payment via the application.
She said it was not yet directed at motorists and consumers at the NNPC Ltd. through pump stations.
Another motorist, Mr. Abdulrahim Malik, said customers could only benefit from the N66-per-litre discount by downloading the application.
“How do people who do not have access to Android phones benefit from the discount?
“Some people cannot read or write, let alone access Android phones. How can they use the digital application?” he asked.
Mr. George Ochendu, a stakeholder, commended the Federal Government for reducing the cost of petrol but expressed concern that many Nigerians may not benefit from the discount due to network challenges.
“They said we should download the app and follow the procedure. NNPC Ltd. is still selling petrol at N1,405 per litre, but on the application, it is N1,339,” he said.
Mrs. Toyin Daniel, a consumer, said motorists that purchased petrol directly at the pumps without using the application do not automatically enjoy the discount.
“I wonder how the Federal Government expects some motorists who are not familiar with the digital platform to access the discounted,” she said.
Mr. Jide Ojo, a public analyst, said the reduction would have limited impact because of the relatively small number of the company’s outlets compared with other retail stations.
According to him, there is no economic justification for motorists to travel long distances and spend valuable time searching for NNPCL filling stations to benefit from the discount.
He said the petrol price ceiling of N1,339 per litre would still be unaffordable for many Nigerians, who required a more significant reduction in energy costs.
Ojo also called for clarity on the Federal Government’s plans to ensure that the benefits of cheaper petrol reached Nigerians across the country.
The analyst expressed concern over reports that the Dangote Refinery was not receiving sufficient crude oil locally to meet its requirements, forcing it to rely partly on imported crude.
“The Federal Government should consider supplying crude oil to the Dangote Refinery at a discounted rate, with a corresponding reduction in the price of refined petroleum products sold to Nigerians.
“Such an arrangement will allow Nigerians to purchase petrol at lower prices from different retail outlets rather than being restricted to NNPCL filling stations,” he said.
Ojo said that Nigeria’s reported 20 per cent equity interest in the Dangote Refinery could provide an avenue for greater transparency and accountability in monitoring the volume of crude supplied.
He said restricting access to cheaper petrol to selected filling stations could lead to queues, wasted working hours and additional transportation costs.
Dr. Aliyu Illias, an economist, said Nigeria had yet to fully harness the potential of its petroleum sector since independence.
Illias said the country had made only average progress in developing its oil and gas industry in spite of having explored the resource for about six decades.
He said that Nigeria had failed to establish sufficient refineries, both in the public and private sectors to maximise the value of its crude oil resources.
According to him, the country has also not adequately develop other products and by-products from petroleum beyond petrol, diesel and related fuels.
The expert said that the country refineries were not operational, leaving the Dangote Refinery as a major development in domestic refining.
He said its impact on the livelihoods of citizens had not been as significant as expected.
Illias also expressed concern that Nigeria was only beginning to embrace Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel at a time when some countries were increasingly shifting towards Electric Vehicles.
According to him, Nigeria has yet to take full advantage of its abundant gas resources, in spite of years of gas flaring.
He said that the country should have developed more refineries across its states to meet domestic demands and generate revenue through the export of refined petroleum products.
The expert said that the global shift away from fossil fuels posed a long-term challenge for Nigeria.
He stressed the need to diversify the economy and maximise the benefits of its oil and gas resources while demands remained significant.
Illias said that Nigeria had yet to achieve the level of development and economic transformation expected from a country with such extensive petroleum resources.
By Adeola Akinbobola
