Atiku Accuses Tinubu Of Turning NNPC’s ₦66 Petrol Discount Into Political Spectacle

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of turning NNPC Limited’s ₦66-per-litre petrol discount into a political show at the company’s expense.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of his campaign council, Atiku reminded the President that NNPC is no longer the old corporation but a limited liability company under the Petroleum Industry Act. He asked whether the government was acting as a shareholder through proper corporate channels or treating the company as a source of campaign money as an election nears.

He asked whether NNPC’s board approved the discount before the Presidency announced it, what figures it studied, what margin the company will give up and where that cost will show in its accounts. The statement did not offer documents showing whether the board approved or rejected the discount.

Atiku also questioned how far the relief can reach. He said NNPC Retail has just over 900 stations for a country of about 242 million people, and asked what happens to families whose nearest station is far away, or when a station runs out of petrol. He wondered whether a motorist must travel, queue, download an app and pay through it to save ₦66 a litre.

He rejected the administration’s position that the discount is not a subsidy, saying a change of name does not remove the cost. He also reminded Tinubu that he had mocked his earlier proposal for a transparent production subsidy, and said the discount borrows its central idea of targeted relief but delivers only a 30-day app coupon at a limited number of stations.

NNPC has said the discount, which began on October 1 to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary, is customer relief and not a return of fuel subsidy. Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele said earlier that it is not funded from the federal budget or the Federation Account.

Sources: ThisDay, Vanguard, Leadership, The Sun and Daily Trust, October 9 to 11, 2026.