The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has defended the Federal Government’s economic reforms and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.)’s 30-day petrol discount initiative, insisting that the measure is intended to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices rather than restore fuel subsidy.
Idris spoke on Monday during an interactive engagement with senior newspaper editors and broadcast anchors in Abuja, where he addressed concerns about the cost of living, labour relations, food security, infrastructure, national security, local government autonomy and press freedom.
Explaining the petrol discount initiative, the minister said NNPC Ltd. had opted to forgo part of its profit to provide temporary relief to Nigerians amid rising international energy costs.
“The NNPC has looked at it and said, ‘Okay, we are making this much profit. Why can’t we forgo some of the profit that we are making, so that Nigerians will have some form of cushioning?’” he said.
He stressed that the initiative did not amount to a return to fuel subsidy, but was an intervention intended to ease the burden on households.
The minister acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, saying the government’s reform agenda must translate into tangible improvements in living conditions.
He cited declining inflation, stronger external reserves and increased non-oil export earnings as indicators of progress, but said more needed to be done to ensure that the gains of economic recovery were felt by ordinary citizens.
“Our task now is to ensure that this clear macroeconomic recovery is felt even more widely in the lives and households of Nigerians,” Idris said.
On labour relations and the rising cost of living, he expressed confidence that the Federal Government and organised labour would resolve outstanding disagreements through dialogue.
He also recalled President Bola Tinubu’s position that minimum wage arrangements could be reviewed every three years instead of every five years.
On local government financial autonomy, Idris reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to its implementation, explaining that consultations with relevant stakeholders were ongoing to address practical challenges and ensure the system operated effectively.
Addressing food security, the minister said the government was supporting domestic agricultural production and strengthening strategic food reserves to improve food availability and affordability.
He urged traders to refrain from hoarding food items and engaging in practices that create artificial scarcity, saying collective efforts were necessary to make food more accessible.
“Government can create these enablers for Nigerians to have succour, but it is ultimately up to Nigerians to also support what government is doing,” he said.
Idris also defended the Federal Government’s road construction projects, arguing that they were designed to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, support agriculture and open up economic corridors for businesses.
“Nobody is fixing road just because there is election. We are fixing road so that Nigerians can have access on these roads, so that it can connect cities, create these economic corridors for businesses to thrive,” he said.
On security, the minister highlighted the expansion of the military’s operational structure from eight to 12 divisions, alongside improved support for security personnel.
He acknowledged that the country continued to face significant security challenges but maintained that the administration was committed to strengthening the security architecture and protecting lives and property.
Responding to concerns about press freedom and reports of arrests involving citizens expressing political views, Idris said he was unaware of any directive by President Tinubu authorising the repression of the media.
He, however, pledged to seek clarification on specific incidents raised by journalists during the engagement.
The minister urged media organisations to uphold professional standards, verify information and avoid misleading or sensational headlines, stressing that freedom of the press must be accompanied by responsibility.
“Press freedom is not just one thing that is just hanging in the air. It is also having something attached to it, and that is the responsibility of those who are exercising it,” he said.
Idris commended the participating media organisations for their engagement and expressed his willingness to sustain the interactive sessions, potentially on a fortnightly basis.
He said regular engagements would strengthen communication between the Federal Government and the media, provide opportunities to clarify government policies and enable discussions on emerging national issues.
