Businessman and political commentator Isaac Fayose criticises Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo for a viral claim comparing fuel prices in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Okpebholo said that after visiting London, he found petrol at the equivalent of about N3,000 per litre, and he argued the figures show President Bola Tinubu’s administration is stabilising Nigeria’s economy.
In response, Fayose says the comparison is incomplete because it does not account for differences in workers’ income levels. He points out that Nigeria’s current minimum wage is N70,000, which he says allows a Nigerian worker to afford only around 49 litres of fuel in a month at the cited price level. Fayose also estimates the UK minimum wage at roughly £13 to £15 per hour, which he calculates as about N4 million monthly, and says UK workers receive additional benefits such as free healthcare and more reliable infrastructure.
The outlets characterise the dispute as a debate over how to compare costs of fuel across countries, with Okpebholo using the price comparison to support an economic stability narrative, and Fayose arguing that purchasing power and living conditions are the determining factors.
