By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that Nigerians could face further increases in petrol prices if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is re-elected in 2027, alleging that the administration may introduce a proposed five per cent fuel tax after securing a second term.
The party claimed that the implementation of the tax could push petrol prices above ₦1,500 per litre, worsening the cost-of-living crisis and increasing the financial burden on households, transport operators and businesses.
The ADC was reacting to comments attributed to the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, who reportedly said on the sidelines of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, that the government would introduce the fuel tax when economic conditions improve.
However, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that the administration’s decision to delay implementation was politically motivated and linked to the 2027 general election.
“They have already enacted the law for a five per cent tax on fuel under the Nigeria Tax Act. And President Tinubu has signed it into law since June 2025. If they have not activated it yet, it is because of re-election,” Abdullahi said.
He further alleged that the tax could be announced immediately after Tinubu secures re-election, drawing a comparison with the announcement of fuel subsidy removal during the President’s inauguration in May 2023.
“Once Tinubu is re-elected, he will announce the new tax law on the inauguration ground, just as he did for fuel subsidy in 2023,” he said.
The party warned that the proposed tax could increase the financial pressure on Nigerians, arguing that a five per cent surcharge on petrol selling at ₦1,450 per litre would raise the price to ₦1,522.50 per litre if the full amount were passed on to consumers.
According to the ADC, such an increase could have wider implications for transportation costs, food distribution, small businesses and household spending.
“This Tinubu-led APC never runs out of new ways to make survival more expensive. Each time Nigerians struggle to recover from one punishing policy, another burden is waiting around the corner,” the party said.
It argued that the government should prioritise measures to ease economic hardship rather than introduce additional financial obligations for citizens already grappling with high living costs.
“A government that has already removed fuel subsidies and subjected citizens to unprecedented economic pressures should be discussing relief, not preparing additional taxes,” the statement added.
