Some motorists benefit, others lose out -Survey
Most motorists unaware, lament poor publicity, miss discount –Investigatio
*Some motorists benefit, others lose out -Survey
*Most motorists unaware, lament poor publicity, miss discount -Investigation
*Private car owners cash in on NNPC Fuel App offer
By Adedotun Aderoboye,
Adeboye Ado, Ikare-Akoko &
Kayode Afolabi, Ore
Motorists in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and in elsewhere across the country are divided over the N66 discount on each litre of petrol purchased at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stations.
While some are benefiting from the promotion, others remain unaware of it as it ends on Saturday, October 31, 2026, investigations have revealed.
An investigation conducted by WEEKENED HOPE particularly revealed that four NNPC stations in Akure offered the discount to motorists who use the NNPC Fuel App.
To benefit from the discount, customers are required to download the app on their mobile phones and pay for their petrol through the app, with each consumer having the opportunity to purchase up to 400 litres under the promotion.
Findings showed that although the promotion is available to motorists in the state, while some had taken advantage of it, majority fuel consumers seem not to be aware of the offer, thereby missing out completely, due to many reasons including poor awareness, incompatible mobile phones and other challenges.
A commercial motorist, Daniel Olanrewaju, told WEEKEND HOPE that he and other members of his unit only learnt about the promotion after seeing a handbill, with just a few days left before its expiration.
Olanrewaju said, “Honestly, this is the first time I am hearing about this. I am just seeing this handbill for the first time and there are only a few days left. This is one of the problems people like us are facing in this country.
”We have over 60 members in my unit and none of us is a beneficiary, because we are not aware of the offer. It is unfortunate.
“I don’t know if our members along the expressway benefited from it, but none of us here knew anything about it until now. It is painful because programmes like this are supposed to help us buy more fuel, which will also help us make more profit from our work.”
Olanrewaju, therefore, called for better publicity for such promotions in future, urging the organisers to inform transport union leaders and distribute flyers early enough to reach motorists, who might not have access to online information.
He said that commercial drivers and motorcycle riders should be among the major beneficiaries of such initiatives, adding that cheaper fuel could help them reduce transport fares for their customers.
He added, “When programmes like this are done, commercial drivers and riders should be the ones enjoying them the most. If people like us benefit from this, we will be able to buy cheaper fuel and that means our customers can enjoy cheaper transport fares.
“This handbill that we are just seeing today should have been distributed when the promotion started. Our union leaders should also have been informed so that many of us who are not online can hear about it from them. I believe this one is gone but I would like to benefit from it in the future.”
However, a private vehicle owner, Opeolu Anthony, said that she benefited from the discount after learning about the promotion while refuelling her vehicle.
Ms Anthony said, “Initially, I did not know about the promotion, but when I came to fill my tank here, I was introduced to it and it has really helped me a lot. I buy a lot of fuel and having such a discount on each litre is really good.
“The government and the NNPC have done well with this promotion. If they can sustain something like this, I think a lot of people will benefit from it. It will also have a positive effect on the cost of living in the country.”
In Ondo North, some motorists expressed mixed reactions to the Federal Government’s petrol price discount, saying that although the intervention has brought some relief at filling stations, the prices of goods and services still remain high.
A motorist in Owo, Mr Ajayi Babatunde, said that petrol prices had reduced gradually at the NNPC station, saying that the amount motorists pay per litre varied from one filling station to another.
He stressed, “Though the price varies, it has reduced gradually.”
Babatunde, however, lamented that the reduction in petrol prices had not translated into a corresponding decrease in the cost of goods and services, noting that traders and service providers had yet to adjust their prices despite the drop in fuel costs.
“Even when the price of fuel reduces, the prices of goods and services remain the same. Although it was the increase in fuel prices that pushed up the cost of other things, the prices still do not come down when fuel becomes cheaper.”
Babatunde added that the continued high cost of commodities and services meant that many Nigerians had yet to feel the full impact of the petrol price reduction.
He stressed, “The government should ensure that the reduction in fuel prices also reflects in transportation fares and the prices of goods in the market so that ordinary Nigerians can benefit.”
Another motorist and resident of Oka, Mr Adesuyi Olalekan, said that the discount was reaching ordinary Nigerians, particularly those who patronised government filling stations selling petrol at the reduced price.
Olalekan said motorists could benefit from the intervention by buying petrol at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited filling stations, although they might have to contend with long queues.
He said, “It is reaching everybody. If you can queue at an NNPC station, there is no problem.”
He added that motorists needed to identify filling stations offering the discounted prices to reduce their fuel expenses, despite the inconvenience associated with waiting in short queues.
He stressed, “Motorists who want to enjoy the reduction should be ready to queue at stations selling petrol at the lower price instead of buying at places where the price is higher.”
Residents of Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government area of Ondo State, expressed mixed reactions to the petrol discount introduced by the Federal Government at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited filling stations, with motorists weighing its potential benefits against the high cost of fuel and transportation.
The initiative sparked discussions among residents, particularly commercial drivers and private vehicle owners, over whether the price reduction is translating into meaningful savings amid the rising cost of living.
Some motorists who spoke with our correspondent said that any reduction in petrol prices could help ease the financial burden on vehicle owners, especially commercial drivers, who spend a substantial portion of their daily earnings on fuel.
An okada rider, Sola Adeyemi, said that lower fuel costs could improve their earnings and reduce pressure on commercial motorcyclists to increase transport fares.
He, however, noted that the impact of the initiative should be assessed based on the actual prices charged at filling stations and the amount motorists spend on fuel before and after the introduction of the discount.
However, some motorists expressed doubts about the impact of the initiative, arguing that the discount would make little difference if the reduction in petrol prices was not substantial enough to ease their daily expenses.
A commercial driver, whose views reflect this concern, said that the benefit of the initiative would depend on the actual reduction in the price per litre and whether the savings were significant enough to affect transportation costs.
Similarly, a bus driver, Mr Saliu, said petrol prices remained a major factor in determining daily operating costs, adding that commercial drivers also contended with other expenses, including vehicle maintenance, spare parts and general running costs.
He maintained that the initiative would be more beneficial if motorists could easily identify participating NNPC filling stations and understand how much they stood to save when purchasing petrol.
Saliu called for greater clarity regarding the discount, particularly the amount deducted per litre and the filling stations where the reduced prices were available.
He also urged the relevant authorities to ensure effective monitoring of the initiative and provide clear information on the applicable discount to prevent confusion among consumers.
A source at NNPC, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said that the promotion had attracted many customers who paid for petrol through the app.
He told WEEKEND HOPE, “A lot of people have been coming here to buy fuel with the app since the promotion began. We have records to show that. I have sold over N400,000 worth of petrol this week.”
The source added that flyers had been displayed on the walls of the stations to inform customers about the promotion, noting that most beneficiaries were private vehicle owners and other customers who bought petrol in large quantities.
The source revealed that many commercial motorcyclists and taxi drivers continue to buy fuel from their usual stations, while some purchase only one or two litres and pay in cash, thereby missing out in the discount.
The source said that the NNPC introduced promotional discounts from time to time, but acknowledged that not everyone was aware of them.
Motorists were advised to download and register on the NNPC Fuel App to receive information about future promotions and take advantage of available discounts.
He added, “Programmes like this are rolled out from time to time, but people are not always informed. About two days ago, we started offering discounts on oil sold at our stations and that promotion will last for six days. So this is the kind of discount we normally offer.
“The best way for people to avoid missing out is to have our app on their phones and register. Through the app, they will know whenever we have a promotion and will be able to benefit from it.
“As for the current promotion, it has been successful. People are benefiting from it. All they need to do is pay for their petrol through the app and they will receive a N66 discount on each litre they buy.”