Akpabio’s  N10,000/Litre Fuel Claim Fails Fact Check  Test

 Claims by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that Nigerians were once willing to pay as much as N10,000 per litre for petrol during periods of scarcity are false and exaggerated, an investigation by  GreenPlinth   has confirmed.

The Claim

Speaking in defence of reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Akpabio said Nigeria has moved away from the era of severe fuel scarcity marked by long queues and desperation.

He stated: “There was a time Nigerians were ready to pay as much as N10,000 per litre, yet the product was not available.”

The Senate President used this to contrast current conditions of improved availability and fewer queues.

The remark, reported by various mainstream media including Daily Trust, has since sparked debate across social media platforms, given the current sensitivity around fuel pricing and cost of living in the country.

Verification

A Fact-Check by  GreenPlinth  shows that while Nigeria experienced severe fuel scarcity in the past, there is no credible evidence to support the claim that petrol ever sold for N10,000 per litre.

Historically, Nigeria has witnessed recurring fuel shortages driven by subsidy challenges, foreign exchange constraints, logistics bottlenecks, and supply disruptions.

During these periods, long queues stretching several kilometres were common across major cities, with motorists often spending hours or days attempting to purchase petrol.

In extreme cases, black market prices rose significantly above official pump prices. However, available data and media reports indicate that petrol prices typically ranged between N300 and N1,000 per litre during scarcity periods.

In rare and highly localised instances, prices reportedly climbed to between N1,500 and N2,000 per litre, particularly in remote areas or during acute supply disruptions.

Checks with industry regulators, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, show no record or acknowledgement of petrol being sold at N10,000 per litre at any time.

A review of major Nigerian media reports from past fuel crises also did not yield any verified instance of such pricing.

While Akpabio’s broader claim about long queues and fuel scarcity is accurate, the N10,000 per litre figure is a gross exaggeration not supported by empirical data. Nigeria witnessed prolonged queues stretching kilometres during subsidy-era supply disruptions and FX shortages.

On the current state of supply, findings show that fuel availability has improved since the removal of subsidy on May 29, 2023, although prices have risen sharply.

Nigeria has also increased domestic refining capacity, particularly with the operationalisation of the Dangote Refinery, though the country still relies partly on imports to meet demand.

Verdict

The claim by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, that Nigerians once paid N10,000 per litre for petrol is false.

There is no verifiable evidence to support such pricing at any point in Nigeria’s fuel supply history. While fuel scarcity and high black-market prices were real, the figure cited by the Senate President is an exaggeration and does not reflect documented market realities.