FG Says Our Fuel Price Na 50% Cheaper Than World - Wetin You Think?

Photo: Thechronicle.com.gh

My people, the Federal Government just drop one kain statement wey don make many Naija people dey scratch their head. According to them, our petrol price na 50% cheaper than the global average - and dem say na thanks to Baba Bola Tinubu economic reforms. But abeg, make we check this gist properly.

Wetin Government Dey Talk

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, been dey yarn say our current fuel price dey very reasonable compared to other countries. According to him, the economic reforms wey President Tinubu implement don help keep our prices low despite global wahala.

But wait o! If this thing true like dis, why ordinary Nigerian still dey cry say fuel price don kee dem? Make we do small investigation.

The Reality for Common Man

For Lagos filling stations today, petrol dey sell between ₦600-₦700 per liter. For Abuja, some places dey sell ₦650-₦750. Northern states like Kano and Kaduna, the price dey range from ₦580-₦680. But some remote areas, especially for the South-South, people dey buy fuel for ₦800-₦900 per liter.

Now, if we convert this thing to dollar (using current exchange rate of about ₦1,500 to $1), we dey pay roughly $0.40-$0.60 per liter. Meanwhile, countries like:

• United Kingdom: $1.50-$1.70 per liter
• Germany: $1.60-$1.80 per liter
• United States: $0.90-$1.20 per liter (varies by state)
• South Africa: $0.80-$1.00 per liter

So technically, the government get point - our price lower than many developed countries. But the question be say: does this comparison make sense for our economy?

Why Nigerians Still Dey Vex

The thing be say, when you compare fuel price, you suppose consider purchasing power. Average Nigerian wey dey earn ₦30,000-₦50,000 monthly go find am hard to buy fuel for ₦700 per liter when transport, food, and other bills don choke am already.

Meanwhile, person wey dey work for UK and dey earn £2,000 monthly fit afford fuel for £1.20 per liter without wahala. Na the purchasing power difference be the real matter!

Mama Kemi from Surulere tell me say: "These government people no dey understand wetin we dey face. Yes, fuel fit cheap compared to oyibo land, but our salary no be oyibo salary na!"

The Subsidy Palaver

Remember say President Tinubu remove fuel subsidy when him just enter office. Before that time, we been dey buy fuel for around ₦185-₦200 per liter. Now e don triple, but government dey say the current price still reasonable.

The subsidy removal suppose make government get more money for other projects, but many Nigerians never see the benefit yet. Instead, transportation cost don skyrocket, food prices don increase, and general cost of living don make people dey struggle.

International Comparison Wey Make Sense

Instead of comparing with developed countries, make we see countries wey dey our level:

• Ghana: $0.70-$0.85 per liter
• Kenya: $0.90-$1.10 per liter
• Egypt: $0.25-$0.35 per liter (heavily subsidized)
• Angola: $0.30-$0.40 per liter (oil-producing country)

When you put am like dis, our price dey within range for oil-producing African countries, but still higher than some.

Wetin Citizens Dey Say

Social media don catch fire with different reactions. Some people dey support government, saying at least we no dey pay like Europeans. But majority dey complain say the comparison no make sense when our minimum wage still dey ₦30,000.

Alhaji Musa from Kano talk am well: "If government wan compare with other countries, make dem also compare our salaries with their own salaries. You cannot take our salary compare am with their fuel price."

The Way Forward

While government statistics fit show say our fuel price lower than global average, the real issue na how this price dey affect ordinary Nigerians. Instead of just comparing prices, government suppose focus on:

• Increasing minimum wage to match current economic reality
• Providing alternative transportation options
• Ensuring the money wey dem save from subsidy removal reach the people
• Fixing refineries make we no depend on imported fuel

At the end of the day, statistics na good thing, but when people no fit afford basic necessities, all those numbers no dey matter. Government need to balance their economic reforms with policies wey go help common man survive for this hard times.

Wetin you think about this matter? You think say our fuel price truly reasonable, or government just dey play with numbers? Make we discuss for comment section!