Motorists across Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa and Niger states have expressed concern over the requirement that customers must use the NNPC Fuel App to access the ₦66-per-litre petrol discount announced by the Federal Government.
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While many motorists welcomed the reduction, they argued that restricting access to customers using smartphones, internet data and digital payment could exclude commercial drivers, tricycle operators and low-income earners who were among those expected to benefit most from the initiative.
At some NNPC retail stations in Abuja, motorists paying directly at the pump were reportedly charged ₦1,405 per litre, while customers using the application paid ₦1,339, representing a ₦66 difference.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, had announced that NNPC Retail would offer the discount for 30 days, with public transport operators expected to receive priority.
“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,” Oyedele said.
He maintained that the arrangement was not a return to the fuel subsidy regime, explaining that NNPC Retail would temporarily surrender its retail profit margin and sell the product at cost.
“So, it’s not a subsidy; the government is just saying we sell to you at cost,” he said.
However, checks at NNPC outlets indicated that the discount was not being automatically applied at the pump and was available principally through the company’s mobile application.
NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, explained that the ₦66-per-litre reduction initially introduced as an Independence Anniversary promotion was the same initiative subsequently extended under the Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount arrangement.
The promotion, initially expected to run from October 1 to October 7, was extended until October 31, 2026.
Odeh said the application requirement was intended to “ensure effective control, prevent abuse, and ensure the benefit reaches intended customers,” while also encouraging wider use of the NNPC Fuel App.
Motorists, however, questioned why a relief measure targeted at Nigerians should depend on access to a mobile application.
At an NNPC mega station along Obasanjo Way in Abuja, an attendant confirmed that customers could only receive the ₦66 reduction after downloading the application and making payment through it.
“You can only qualify for the ₦66 discount if you download the app. You would also make a payment via the application. So, it is not yet direct when you come to our pump stations,” the attendant said.
In Ogun State, motorist Segun Komolafe said he was unable to access the discount because the NNPC station where he intended to buy petrol required customers to transact through the application.
“If the discount is meant for Nigerians, why must everybody be forced to use an app before they can benefit?” he asked.
“The government should apply it directly at the pump. Not everyone has a smartphone, and not everyone can afford data.”
Similar concerns were expressed in Nasarawa State, where commercial driver Musa Ibrahim said some motorists lacked the data or technical knowledge required to use the application.
Private car owner Esther Danjuma argued that the requirement could disadvantage people living in smaller towns and rural communities where smartphone ownership or reliable internet connectivity might be limited.
“If this discount is truly for Nigerians, it should be on the pump,” she said.
“The government should not make relief difficult for the same people it says it wants to help.”
In Suleja, Niger State, commercial drivers also urged NNPC to apply the reduction directly at filling stations.
Abubakar Mohammed, a commercial bus driver, said many drivers operate largely with cash and could be excluded by an app-only system.
“Many of us buy fuel with cash after carrying passengers. Asking everybody to download an app and pay online will leave some people out. The discount should be for everybody at the pump,” he said.
Beyond access to the discount, motorists also questioned whether the reduction was sufficient and sustainable.
Some said petrol remained expensive despite the ₦66 reduction and called for more substantial price cuts, while others sought clarity on whether NNPC was absorbing the reduction from its profit margin or whether public funds would eventually be used.
A motorist identified as Mr Adewale said Nigerians deserved clarity about who was bearing the cost.
“If the government is paying, Nigerians should know where the money is coming from. We have heard about subsidy removal, so we need to understand whether this is a temporary subsidy or a business decision by NNPC,” he said.
The Federal Government, however, maintained that the discount was being funded from NNPC Retail’s margin and not from the federal budget or the Federation Account.
It explained that the ₦66 reduction was deducted from the prevailing pump price and did not amount to a fixed nationwide petrol price.
Oyedele said a retailer could temporarily reduce or surrender its profit margin to customers without such a decision amounting to a subsidy, distinguishing it from a situation where government uses public revenue to pay part of the cost of a product.
According to him, the subsidy regime removed in 2023 “is not coming back.”
He said NNPC Retail purchases petrol from Dangote Refinery and other suppliers at market prices before adding its own retail margin, meaning the temporary reduction remains market-reflective.
The Presidency had earlier said NNPC agreed to suspend its retail profit margin and sell petrol at cost for 30 days as part of efforts to provide temporary relief to consumers amid high fuel prices.
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