NEWS
Fuel Discount: Sam Amadi Predicts No Immediate Drop in Transport Fares
The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Dr Sam Amadi, has predicted that the Federal Government’s ₦60-per-litre petrol discount is unlikely to translate into an immediate reduction in transport fares, questioning its ability to ease the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
Amadi said the intervention, introduced through Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) retail stations, was too insignificant to make a meaningful difference in the lives of citizens struggling with rising living costs.
He made the remarks during an interview on Arise News on Friday, October 9, 2026.
ALSO READ: Fuel Subsidy: Atiku Showing Symptoms of Desperation — Afegbua
The Federal Government recently introduced a 30-day petrol discount window as part of a 10-point intervention announced by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele.
Under the arrangement, NNPC Retail will forgo its profit margin and sell petrol at cost price, with the expected reduction estimated at ₦60 per litre.
The government said the temporary measure was designed to cushion the impact of global oil price shocks and reduce transportation costs, particularly for commercial transport operators.
Oyedele also clarified that the initiative was not a return to the fuel subsidy regime.
However, Amadi expressed doubts about whether the discount would provide meaningful relief, arguing that its economic impact would be minimal.
“Will transport costs change tomorrow? I predict they will not change. As a matter of fact, it’s so insignificant that you might even see some transport costs going higher as people respond to it disproportionately,” he said.
The policy expert added that the intervention was unlikely to significantly improve the living conditions of Nigerians facing the consequences of rising transportation and other household expenses.
“I don’t think this is going to touch the lives of the people. Politically-economically speaking, it’s meaningless. Politically, maybe marginally useful,” he said.
Amadi Criticises Government’s Economic Policies
Beyond the petrol discount, Amadi criticised the government’s approach to economic reforms, arguing that the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies, alongside the floating of the naira, had contributed significantly to Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis.
He described the petrol discount as a belated response to mounting public dissatisfaction with the administration’s economic policies.
“First, I think it’s a face-saving strategy. Again, the government has been too late, too little. The World Bank recently came back to subsidy as a tool. So the government’s religious taboo around subsidy was a wrong idea,” Amadi said.
He also argued that the manner in which the petrol subsidy was removed had worsened the economic difficulties experienced by households and businesses.
“Secondly, it’s clear—as Atiku and others have argued—that the drastic, reckless manner in which subsidy was removed, compounded with the removal of electricity subsidies and the floating of the naira, is the source of the current cost of living crisis,” he added.
According to Amadi, the government’s latest intervention also appears to be a response to growing political pressure, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where calls for the restoration of fuel subsidies have gained attention.
He maintained that the ₦60 reduction could offer the government some political advantage without imposing the substantial fiscal burden associated with restoring the former subsidy regime.
“This government is smart. The state governors don’t want subsidy back because their fiscal buoyance depends on it. So if it’s ₦60 only for NNPC for transporters, the fiscal impact is almost nothing to the government.
“At the same time, they hope to play a political game: less fiscal loss, more political gain. But it’s nothing,” he said.
2027 Elections Could Shape Fuel Pricing Debate
Amadi further suggested that political considerations ahead of the 2027 general elections could be influencing the government’s approach to petrol pricing.
He argued that the administration was attempting to respond to public concerns about fuel costs while avoiding a full return to the subsidy system.
The policy expert also questioned the implications of the intervention for the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), noting that its implementation still had unresolved issues.
He said the government could explore different pricing mechanisms and targeted interventions to make petrol more affordable without necessarily undermining market forces.
“The government is running into trouble regarding the PIA. Don’t forget that we haven’t reached full-scale implementation; there are still a lot of blind spots. In this case, they’re responding to politics, and maybe they should, because this is bound to be a major issue going into 2027,” Amadi said.
President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of six nominees for executive director positions at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to the Senate for confirmation, retaining three existing directors while introducing three new nominees.
The nominations were conveyed to the Senate in a letter from the President, according to a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The six nominees comprise three executive directors seeking reappointment and three new candidates proposed for different leadership positions within the petroleum regulatory agency.
SEE ALSO: Tinubu Promises to Boost Local Production with NNPC Refineries
The officials nominated for reappointment are Abiodun Adeniji, Executive Director of Finance and Accounts; Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha, Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure; and Dr Mustapha Lamorde, Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community.
The three new nominees are Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa, proposed as Executive Director of Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations and Transportation Infrastructure; Ogechukwu Modie, nominated as Executive Director of Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning; and Said Abutalib, nominated as Executive Director of Corporate Services and Administration.
If confirmed by the Senate, all six nominees will serve five-year terms.
President Tinubu urged the lawmakers to consider the nominations expeditiously, stating that the appointments would ensure institutional continuity and strengthen the Authority’s oversight capacity.
In a related development, the President has approved the appointment of Jumoke Gafar as Secretary to the Board/Authority and Legal Adviser of the NMDPRA.
Her appointment is subject to the completion of the statutory processes stipulated under Section 46 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The latest nominations follow Tinubu’s appointment of Engr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as Chief Executive of the NMDPRA in April.
The Senate’s consideration and confirmation of the six nominees will determine their formal appointment to the respective executive director positions.
In the bid to improve environmental sanitation, the Osun State Government plans to engage with immediate effect, able-bodied men and women as ad hoc road sweepers.
Biztellers reports that the exercise would cover designated areas of the state.
The recruitment exercise, announced by the Osun State Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation (OSTES) is open to medically fit able bodied men and women who are residents of the areas where they intend to work.
According to the public service announcement, applicants must be at least 30 years of age, medically fit and resident in their preferred areas of assignment.
READ ALSO: US Hails DPRP as Nigeria’s Petroleum Exports Surge Seven Times
The designated areas mentioned by the Taskforce include Akoda- Abere, Ataoja -Ogo-Oluwa, Olaiya -Old Garage, Igbonna -Ayetoro, Power Line – Ota-Efun and Kobongbogboe.
Other areas covered by the exercise are Ataoja- Dele Yes Sir, Stadium- Testing Ground and Ilesa- Garage, as well as Oke-Fia -Dada Estate, Dele Yes Sir- Lameco and Oroki Housing Estate.
Interested applicants are required to submit application letters to the General Manager, Osun Waste Management Agency, at its office located at the former Boreepo House, West Bye-Pass, Ring Road, Osogbo.
The announcement further stated that the deadline for submission of applications is Thursday, November 12th, 2026.
The recruitment is expected to support routine road sweeping and complement the state’s efforts to promote a cleaner, healthier and safer environment.
Applicants have been advised to ensure that they meet the stated requirements and reside within the areas where they seek to be deployed.
It would be recalled that the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, had earlier declared every Thursday of the week as Environmental Sanitation Day throughout the state during which offices, markets, shopping malls and homes among other public places are to be swept clean between 8am and 10am.
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) said it has sponsored nearly 15,000 Nigerians for studies at home and abroad, with 1,571 scholars currently studying in 15 countries, as of July 2026.
This is as the Fund is now asking the United Kingdom (UK) to help address visa rejections, high tuition fees and the monitoring of its scholars, which it says are putting pressure on the programme.
The executive secretary of the Fund, Prof Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, made the request on Tuesday at a meeting with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles. The meeting was held at the General Shehu Musa Yar’adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology, Kaduna.
According to Aliyu, the Fund had sponsored the beneficiaries through its Overseas Scholarship Scheme and In-Country Scholarship Scheme, for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
He said that as of July 2026, 1,571 scholars were studying in 15 countries and more than 120 partner institutions. He added that demand for PTDF scholarships was still rising.
READ MORE: Investors Embrace DPRP IPO Globally, 120 Countries, 54 African Nations
The executive secretary said the UK had for decades been the Fund’s main partner in building skills for Nigeria’s energy sector.
He said the PTDF worked with 24 British universities, including Robert Gordon, Strathclyde, Portsmouth, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leicester, Liverpool and Manchester.
He said the partnership had helped train thousands of Nigerian engineers, geoscientists, researchers and energy professionals.
Aliyu also said the Fund worked with institutions in Germany, France and Malaysia, where it sought cheaper ways to train Nigerians. He said the Fund still wanted to keep its long-standing ties with the UK.
The ES told the High Commissioner that the Fund was facing problems with its UK partners. He listed these as tuition fees that were high compared with other European countries, and visa rejections.
“I would like to take this opportunity to highlight several challenges we are facing with our UK partners for the High Commissioner’s attention,” he said.
He said the Fund also wanted a plan to monitor its scholars in the UK, with support from the UK government and the host universities.
Aliyu did not give figures for the fee increases or the number of visa rejections.
In response, Vowles said the British High Commission understood the difficulties, especially those linked to visas and increases in tuition fees.
“We will take these concerns away as a team and communicate them to the relevant stakeholders within the UK system,” he said.
The High Commissioner said the PTDF and the High Commission had worked together to simplify the process. He said the PTDF’s recognition as a government-approved sponsor was expected to help.
“Having the PTDF recognised as a government-approved sponsor will hopefully make the process much smoother,” he said.
He did not promise any change in fees or visa rules.
Tinubu Sends Six NMDPRA Executive Director Nominees to Senate, Retains Three
Osun Tackles Sanitation with Adhoc Road Sweepers
NLNG: Nigeria’s Oil Ambitions Require Investor Guarantees
OTL Africa Urges ECOWAS to Adopt Regional Standardisation
No Deal to Share Legislative or LG Seats with APC – Adeleke
NUPRC Resorts to Technology to Reduce Emissions by 60%
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Tems Sets New Record On Billboard Hot 100 Chart