When the Iran war sent oil prices soaring past $100 per barrel, many nations rushed to harvest the windfall.
But Nigeria, the giant of Africa, found itself like the proverbial goat standing in front of palm leaves yet chewing stones.
The paradox is painful: oil is expensive, but our pockets remain empty.
The Mirage of N28 Trillion
On paper, Nigeria should be smiling to the bank. Brent crude now trades at $102–$114 per barrel, far above our budget benchmark of $64.85. That’s a premium of $37–$49 per barrel, translating to a theoretical N28.3 trillion annual windfall. But reality bites harder than arithmetic.
- Production Shortfall: We pump 1.46 million barrels per day instead of the 1.84 million target. That’s 380,000 barrels missing daily like “cooking soup without meat.“
- Encumbered Volumes: Much of our crude is already pledged to creditors and refineries.
- History Repeats: During the Russia-Ukraine war, oil hit $110 for six months, yet Nigeria captured little. Why? Low production and subsidy drains.
The truth: our “extra” revenue is largely a mirage. Even NNPC’s promise to add 100,000 barrels is a “drop in the ocean” compared to the 360,000+ bpd gap.
What we could do with real windfalls
If Nigeria could capture even a fraction of this premium, it could fund what truly matters:
- Strategic petroleum reserves (we currently have none).
- Fertilizer subsidies before April planting season.
- CNG conversion kits to reduce petrol dependence.
- Targeted social transfers to shield vulnerable households.
- Refinery rehabilitation and modular refinery investments.
But as elders say, “A child who cannot hold a cup should not be given a calabash.” Without fixing production, these dreams remain “castles in the air.”
Lessons from abroad
While Nigeria debates, others act:
- South Korea capped gasoline prices for the first time in 30 years and boosted nuclear power.
- Germany banned excessive pump pricing.
Other Developing countries
Responses previously under similar circumstances:
- Albania and Serbia ran transparent fuel price boards and weekly caps.
- Vietnam tried an Oil Price Stabilization Fund.
- Indonesia spent $13.7 billion subsidizing diesel in 2024.
These countries had fiscal muscle or institutional discipline. Nigeria, fresh from subsidy removal, cannot afford to reenter that trap.
Why price caps are a NoGo
Let’s be clear: price caps in Nigeria would be like “pouring water into a basket.”
- Post-Subsidy Reality: We dismantled subsidies in 2023. Reintroducing them would be fiscal suicide.
- Mathematical Certainty: With petrol at N1,200–N1,400/litre, capping prices means the government pays the difference. That’s a “bottomless pit.”
- Supply Risks: Price controls breed scarcity, black markets, and stalled shipments.
- Dangote Refinery: Operating commercially, it cannot survive forced caps without government bailouts another subsidy trap.
The way forward
Nigeria must resist the temptation of quick fixes and instead build resilience:
- Sell crude to local refineries in naira to ease forex pressure.
- Release any strategic reserves to stabilize supply.
- Digitally distribute fertilizers to farmers before planting season.
- Introduce flexible fuel taxes that shrink when global prices surge.
- Scale up CNG adoption and LPG household conversion.
- Secure oil assets to close the 380,000 bpd production gap.
- Ringfence windfalls into the Sovereign Wealth Fund and Excess Crude Account.
States should subsidize public transport, not fuel. Let households cook with LPG, not petrol. Above all, avoid the subsidy trap and resist adjusting budgets to assume $100 oil is permanent. As the elders say, “The rain does not fall forever; the sun must shine again.”
Conclusion
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The Iran war has opened a window of opportunity, but without production discipline, we risk watching billions slip through our fingers.
Oil booms are fleeting. The real test is whether Nigeria can finally build an economy that thrives not because oil is expensive, but because its foundations are strong enough to withstand both boom and gloom.
As one editorial wisely put it: “A nation that eats its seed yam during planting season will starve at harvest.” Nigeria must choose wisely.
About Us:
The Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) LTD/GTE is a Nigerian nonprofit dedicated to strengthening both private and public sectors through evidence-based research, advocacy, regulatory support, stakeholder engagement, and transparent reforms.
