PETROAN Urges Government to Provide Palliatives from Rising Oil Revenues
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has called on the Federal Government to provide palliatives to Nigerians as the country benefits from increased oil revenues amid rising global crude prices.
Speaking on Saturday, PETROAN’s National President, Dr. Billy Gillis‑Harry, said the government should use part of the windfall from oil earnings to ease the impact of high fuel and transport costs on ordinary citizens.
“We have gotten so much income supposedly from the hike in the price of crude oil, so we should be able to look at how we can give some sort of palliatives for transportation,” he stated. Dr. Gillis‑Harry clarified that while PETROAN supports the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector, it believes targeted support measures can help cushion Nigerians from the economic pressures caused by rising fuel prices.
He noted that reversing deregulation would require legislative changes and could take time, but short-term relief through palliatives is feasible. The association also emphasized that fuel prices should remain market-driven, warning that government interference could disrupt the gains of deregulation.
However, PETROAN acknowledged that recent price increases, including adjustments at major depots, have intensified the financial burden on households and transport operators.
As Nigeria continues to benefit from higher crude prices, the call for palliatives is likely to draw attention from policymakers and the public, with expectations that part of the oil revenue windfall will be used to mitigate the rising cost of living.
