Recently, President Bola Tinubu’s administration extended a discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) retail stations.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, announced measures intended to cushion households and businesses against rising fuel prices.

According to a presidency statement, NNPC Retail agreed to forgo its petrol profit margin and sell at cost for an initial 30 days.

The announcement followed a ₦66-per-litre discount NNPC Retail introduced on 1 October to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.

In an official statement on 9 October, NNPC Ltd confirmed that the promotion would continue until 31 October across its retail stations nationwide.

The state-owned oil company said the discount was meant to provide temporary relief to Nigerians amid elevated global crude oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict.

NNPC, however, clarified that the initiative did not restore the petroleum subsidy or establish a uniform national pump price.

The company said the discount applied only to its retail outlets and did not change the market-based pricing framework for petroleum products.

The government is also negotiating a ₦1,350-per-litre ceiling on petrol’s ex-gantry or landing cost.

Ex-Gantry price is the price at which petrol leaves a refinery or supply facility. Landing costs generally refer to the cost of importing petrol. Neither is the final price motorists pay, which may include transportation, distribution, and retail margins.

Under the proposed arrangement, refiners and importers would initially absorb costs above the ceiling and recover the difference later, when crude prices or exchange rates become more favourable.

To access this discounted offer, motorists must use the NNPC Fuel App and pay digitally to get the ₦66 reduction.

The app requirement formed part of NNPC’s original promotion.

However, concerns remain that this could limit access for motorists without smartphones or suitable digital-payment arrangements, including some commercial transport operators the government says it intends to prioritise.

Eligible customers can receive an immediate reduction at participating NNPC stations, subject to the app and payment requirements.

Recently, NNPC introduced self-service fuel pumps at selected Retail stations, allowing motorists to dispense petrol by themselves using a mobile application.

The development is part of NNPC’s plan to deploy between 50 and 70 smart, self-service stations across the country within the next six months.

Unlike the conventional system where an attendant dispenses fuel, the self-service model lets customers select the amount of fuel they want, pay through an app, and use a code to activate the pump.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to buy and dispense fuel yourself at participating NNPC stations:

Step 1: Motorists who want to use the self-service facility should first download the ‘NR Fuel App’.

Step 2: Open the app, tap Fuel Purchase, and select your fuel type.

Step 3: Browse the station list and choose an NNPC Retail station offering the self-service option.

The facility is currently available only at selected stations as NNPC rolls out the new system. Look for the green Self-Serve badge next to the station name. Tap it to select.

Step 3: After selecting the station, enter the amount you wish to spend on fuel. Review the quantity and price, then tap Pay from Wallet. The system will process the transaction based on the amount entered.

Step 4: After a successful payment, the app will generate a digital receipt. It contains your Order ID, your Self-Service Code, and a QR Code.

Step 5: At the pump, enter your 8-digit self-service code on the terminal and press the hash key. Once validated, pick up the nozzle and fuel up—exactly the amount you paid for.

NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, said the N66-per-litre discount under the Independence Anniversary promotion was the same initiative as the 30-day petrol discount announced by the federal government on October 8, 2026.

Initially scheduled to run from October 1 to 7, the promotion was extended until October 31, 2026.

Odeh said access to the NNPC Fuel App was restricted to “ensure effective control, prevent abuse, and ensure the benefit reaches intended customers.” (The Nation)