By Emmanuella Opara Isioma | October 10th, 2026
KEY POINTS
- -The Obidient Movement has proposed a policy to reduce petrol prices by half under a Peter Obi administration.
- -The plan would link subsidy payments to verified fuel sales and independently determined reference prices.
- -The movement wants digital tracking of petroleum products and monthly public reports on subsidy payments.
- -It has called for equal access to Nigerian crude by licensed domestic refineries.
- -The group has questioned government figures on daily petrol consumption and requested the publication of supporting data.
- -It has proposed legislative oversight, independent audits and stronger measures to protect crude oil infrastructure.
MAIN STORY
The Obidient Movement has proposed a petrol pricing policy that would cut the cost of the product by half under a government led by Peter Obi, with subsidy payments subject to independent verification, public disclosure and legislative oversight.
The movement said the proposed arrangement would make petrol more affordable while improving accountability in the management of public funds.
The proposal was outlined in a statement signed by Onyeka Dike of the movement’s Media and Communications Directorate in Abuja on Friday.
Under the plan, an independent panel would determine a weekly reference price using international market benchmarks, freight charges and verified local costs. Subsidy payments would then be calculated against the approved reference price.
The movement also proposed that payments to refiners, depot operators and petroleum marketers should depend on verified quantities of petrol sold at filling stations.
To strengthen monitoring, it called for a digital tracking system that would follow petroleum products from refineries to retail outlets. The system, according to the proposal, would help establish the volumes delivered and sold while preventing inflated claims for subsidy payments.
The movement further advocated equal access to Nigerian crude oil for licensed local refineries. It argued that transparent rules governing crude supply would encourage competition and improve accountability across the petroleum sector.
As part of its proposed transparency measures, the group called for monthly public reports showing reference prices, petrol volumes sold, subsidy payments, beneficiaries, penalties, recoveries and findings from independent audits.
It also said the funding framework for the policy would be presented to the National Assembly to secure the necessary legislative and budgetary provisions.
Beyond petrol pricing, the movement called for audits of energy security contracts, measures to reduce the cost of crude oil production and improved pipeline protection through partnerships with host communities.
The group also raised concerns about the figures used by the Federal Government to determine daily petrol consumption.
It questioned the reported consumption estimates, pointing to differences between figures attributed to President Bola Tinubu in September 2024 and those cited by the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, in October 2026.
The movement urged the government to publish the data and methodology used to calculate daily petrol consumption so that the figures could be independently verified.
It argued that access to reliable consumption data was necessary to assess the management of petroleum subsidy payments and address concerns over the use of public funds.
The group also questioned how the government’s position on subsidy removal related to its recently announced 30-day petrol discount.
It maintained that its proposed arrangement would provide more sustained relief to consumers through a structured system supported by public reporting, independent audits and legislative supervision.
The movement said the objective was to ensure that public resources were properly accounted for while reducing the cost of petrol for Nigerians.
THE ISSUES
The proposal centres on how petrol affordability can be balanced with transparency in the use of public funds.
A central feature is the proposed verification system, which would require subsidy payments to be linked to actual petrol sales rather than unverified claims by operators. Digital tracking and independent audits would form part of the safeguards against inflated volumes and improper payments.
The movement’s call for published consumption data also places emphasis on the figures used to assess petrol supply and determine the scale of government intervention.
Another issue is access to crude oil for domestic refiners. The group wants licensed operators to have equal access under transparent rules, which it says would support competition in the petroleum sector.
However, the statement presents the half-price arrangement as a proposal. It does not establish that the policy has been adopted, nor does it provide a detailed estimate of the total cost of implementation or the amount of funding required.
WHAT’S NEXT
The movement says its proposed funding framework would be submitted to the National Assembly for legislative and budgetary consideration.
The plan would also require the development of a system for determining weekly reference prices, verifying petrol sales, tracking petroleum products and publishing monthly reports on subsidy payments.
The government would also need to provide the consumption data and methodology requested by the movement if its figures are to be independently assessed.
BOTTOM LINE
The Obidient Movement wants a Peter Obi administration to halve petrol prices through a proposed subsidy framework backed by verified sales, digital tracking, public reporting and independent audits. The plan remains a proposal, with its funding requirements, implementation arrangements and legislative approval yet to be established.
