Presidential hopeful [Peter Obi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Obi) on Sunday questioned whether the federal government’s 30‑day reduction in petrol prices will meaningfully lower poverty, unemployment, insecurity or inequality in Nigeria, calling the move a short‑term political stunt rather than a sound economic solution.
**What is the government’s petrol discount policy?**
The administration led by the All Progressives Congress announced a temporary discount of less than five percent on petrol prices for one month, aiming to ease the hardship caused by the abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023. The subsidy removal, according to Obi, was executed without adequate consultation or impact analysis.
**Why does Obi doubt its effectiveness?**
Obi argued that the discount is unlikely to tackle the broader economic challenges confronting Nigerians. He noted that the subsidy removal was followed by other measures – such as the naira’s floatation and tax reforms – which, in his view, were rolled out without proper sequencing or coordination, exacerbating inflation and the cost of living.
> “The announcement by the [Federal Government](https://www.gov.ng/) offering > a 30‑day discount on the price of petrol to relieve the acute hardship and > hunger caused by its unplanned removal of subsidy can only be described as > another very reactive and confused approach to governance that is now the > culture of the Tinubu Government,” Obi said.
**What does Obi propose?**
He called for a publicly available regulatory impact assessment of recent policies, insisting that such an exercise would reveal their real effects and guide necessary adjustments. Obi also urged the government to engage stakeholders and ordinary citizens in consultations to craft inclusive policies that boost living standards and expand economic opportunities.
**Is the discount a test for reinstating the subsidy?**
Obi asked whether the temporary cut is intended to gauge public reaction before possibly restoring the subsidy, or if it is merely a political gambit ahead of the 2027 elections. He concluded, “Too many questions, no answer!”
In summary, Obi maintains that without a thorough evaluation of the subsidy removal and related reforms, a brief petrol price discount will not deliver sustainable relief or address Nigeria’s deep‑seated economic woes.