Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo is facing public backlash after suggesting that Nigerians should feel fortunate about current petrol prices, comparing them unfavourably to what fuel costs in the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the “Operation Rescue Benin-Asaba Road” event, Okpebholo said a recent personal trip to London, where he went specifically to check pump prices, showed that a litre of petrol converts to more than N3,000 in Nigerian currency once UK pound prices are factored in — compared to between N1,400 and N1,500 at home.
The remarks landed awkwardly given that petrol prices within Nigeria itself still range widely, from roughly N400 to N1,500 a litre depending on location, and amid lingering public frustration over the cost of living since subsidy removal.
Defending the broader economic direction, Okpebholo argued that the reforms underway, though difficult, are part of President Bola Tinubu’s effort to stabilise the economy over the long run.
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