NOSA EGHAGHA
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Government has defended rising petrol prices under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, insisting that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.)’s 30-day petrol discount initiative does not amount to a return to fuel subsidy.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the temporary price relief was designed to cushion the impact of rising international energy costs without reversing the government’s fuel subsidy removal policy.
Idris spoke on Monday in Abuja during an interactive media engagement with senior editors and broadcast anchors, where he addressed questions on petrol prices, the cost of living, labour relations, food security, infrastructure, local government autonomy, national security and press freedom.
Explaining the rationale behind the NNPC initiative, the minister said the national oil company had opted to forgo part of its profit to provide temporary relief to Nigerians grappling with rising fuel costs.
“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?’” he said.
He maintained that the initiative was different from fuel subsidy, presenting it as a temporary intervention funded through the company’s decision to sacrifice part of its profit.
The minister acknowledged that the government’s economic reforms had imposed significant pressures on households, stressing that the administration’s priority was to ensure that the reported improvements in key economic indicators translated into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
He cited declining inflation, stronger external reserves and increased non-oil export earnings as signs of economic recovery but admitted that more needed to be done to ensure that households benefited from the gains.
“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.
Govt, Labour to Resolve Outstanding Issues
On labour relations and the rising cost of living, Idris expressed optimism that the Federal Government and organised labour would resolve outstanding disagreements through dialogue.
He also recalled President Tinubu’s position that minimum wage arrangements could be reviewed every three years instead of every five years, potentially allowing workers’ earnings to be adjusted more frequently to reflect prevailing economic realities.
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Local Government Autonomy
Addressing concerns about local government financial autonomy, the minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to implementing the policy.
He explained that consultations involving relevant stakeholders were ongoing to address practical challenges and establish a framework that would ensure the system operated effectively.
On food security, Idris highlighted government support for domestic agricultural production and efforts to strengthen strategic food reserves.
He also appealed to traders to avoid hoarding and other practices capable of creating artificial scarcity and driving up food prices.
“Government can create these enablers for Nigerians to have succour, but it is ultimately up to Nigerians to also support what government is doing,” he said.
Tinubu Govt Denies Fixing Roads for Elections
The minister also defended ongoing federal road projects, dismissing suggestions that the projects were being executed primarily for electoral purposes.
According to him, the projects are intended to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, support agricultural activities and establish economic corridors that will stimulate business growth.
“Nobody is fixing road just because there is election. We are fixing road so that Nigerians can have access on these roads, so that it can connect cities, create these economic corridors for businesses to thrive,” Idris said.
On national security, he highlighted the expansion of the military’s operational structure from eight to 12 divisions, alongside improved support for security personnel.
While acknowledging that significant security challenges remained, the minister reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s security architecture and protecting lives and property.
Minister Addresses Press Freedom Concerns
Responding to concerns about press freedom and reports of arrests involving citizens expressing political views, Idris said he was unaware of any directive by President Tinubu authorising the repression of the media.
He, however, pledged to seek clarification on specific incidents raised by participants during the engagement.
The minister urged media organisations to uphold professional standards, verify information and avoid misleading or sensational headlines, arguing that press freedom must be exercised alongside responsibility.
“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,” he said.
Idris commended the participating media organisations for their contributions and expressed the government’s readiness to sustain the interactive sessions, potentially every two weeks.
He said regular engagements would strengthen communication between the Federal Government and the media, provide opportunities to clarify government policies and enable discussions on emerging national issues.
