Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, citing the cost of petrol in the United Kingdom and saying motorists in Britain pay more than ₦3,000 per litre.
The governor made the remarks in a video circulated on social media on Friday, following a recent visit to London, where he said he compared petrol prices in the UK with those in Nigeria.
Okpebholo said he decided to investigate the difference in fuel prices after discussing the issue with friends during his visit.
“Nigeria is in a safe hand. When we complained about the cost of petrol, I was in London last week,” he said.
“I told my friends, let’s go and buy fuel just to know the cost of fuel between Nigeria and England. Let me tell you. After conversion, it’s about ₦3,000 something to one litre of fuel. We are doing very well here.”
UK Petrol Prices Higher Than Nigeria’s
Official UK data put the average price of unleaded petrol at £1.72 per litre for the week ending September 21, which is equivalent to more than ₦3,000 when converted at prevailing exchange rates.
The figures cited in the report also showed that petrol was listed at ₦1,385 per litre in Lagos and ₦1,430 per litre in Abuja in the latest NNPC pump-price schedule referenced by TheCable.
However, the comparison between the two countries’ petrol prices does not, on its own, account for differences in wages, household income, living costs or motorists’ purchasing power.
Governor Praises Tinubu’s Economic Policies
The Edo governor also expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as an economist working to stabilise Nigeria’s economy.
“Our president is not a supermarket man,” Okpebholo said.
“The supermarket people, let them wait. When it’s time for a supermarket to rule Nigeria and technocrats are not here again, then, they will come.”
His remarks come amid ongoing public debate over the impact of petrol price increases and other economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market has undergone significant changes since the removal of the petrol subsidy, with pump prices varying across locations and retail outlets.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has reiterated that petrol prices are determined under the free-market framework established by the Petroleum Industry Act, rather than fixed by the regulator.
The governor’s comments add to the wider discussion about the economic reforms, their effects on Nigerians and how the country’s fuel prices compare with those in other economies.
