About 67.4 per cent of Nigerians surveyed have rejected the federal government’s current petrol pricing policy, according to a report by SBM Intelligence.
The finding was contained in the second wave of the Nigeria 2027 Voter Sentiment Tracker, titled Nigeria 2027: A Narrower Race.
SBM Intelligence surveyed 1,103 eligible voters through face-to-face interviews across 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), covering the six geopolitical zones.
The survey was conducted across urban and rural locations, including markets, viewing centres, schools and hotels.
According to the report, 67.4 per cent of respondents rejected the current petrol pricing framework, while 19.2 per cent supported it.
Petrol has also emerged as the second-most cited national problem among respondents, accounting for 18.2 per cent of responses.
The report said petrol received the lowest performance rating among the policies of the current administration, scoring 1.69 out of four.
“It is now the second-most cited national problem at 18.2 per cent, the government’s worst-rated issue at 1.69 out of 4, and the subject of a policy the public rejects by 67.4 per cent to 19.2 per cent,” SBM said.
Petrol Prices Rise Across Nigeria
The findings come amid rising petrol prices across major Nigerian cities.
Checks conducted in Lagos in mid-September showed petrol selling between N1,400 and N1,430 per litre, while prices in Abuja ranged between N1,400 and N1,450 per litre.
SBM said concern over petrol varies significantly by region, settlement type and age.
The Southwest recorded the highest proportion of respondents identifying petrol as their primary concern at 30.5 per cent, followed by the South-South at 29.1 per cent.
In rural areas, 32.4 per cent of respondents cited petrol as their primary concern, compared with 11.7 per cent in urban areas.
The concern also increased with age, from 19.6 per cent among respondents aged 18 to 24 to 27.6 per cent among those above 55.
Insecurity Remains Top Concern In Several Regions
SBM said insecurity remains the leading national concern, particularly in the Southeast, Northcentral and Northwest.
In the Southeast, 62.6 per cent of respondents identified insecurity as their main concern, while the figure stood at 47.5 per cent in the Northcentral and 25 per cent in the Northwest.
In the Northeast, debt ranked highest at 28.3 per cent, followed by insecurity at 17.1 per cent.
In the Southwest, petrol led at 30.5 per cent, followed by the economy at 20.2 per cent and jobs at 9 per cent.
In the South-South, petrol accounted for 29.1 per cent, followed by the economy at 21.1 per cent.
Calls Grow For Relief From Fuel Costs
The latest findings come amid renewed criticism of the impact of petrol prices on households and businesses.
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has said he would restore the petrol subsidy if elected in 2027.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has also called for immediate wage awards and other measures to cushion workers against rising transportation costs.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority said on September 19 that it does not have legal backing to determine petrol pump prices.
The regulator said it would instead intensify market surveillance to address alleged price gouging.
President Bola Tinubu has meanwhile pointed to compressed natural gas-powered buses as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs.
He said CNG-powered bus operations in Kaduna had saved commuters more than N3.5 billion in transportation expenses during their first year.
SBM cautioned that its findings represent the views of the surveyed respondents and should not be treated as a projection of the 2027 election outcome.
The survey did not adjust for historical voter turnout, population projections by the National Population Commission or voter registration figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission
