Nigeria, Oct. 13 -- The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has defended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited's (NNPC) 30-day petrol discount initiative, saying it is intended to provide temporary relief to Nigerians amid rising global energy costs.

Mr Idris said the decision did not represent a return to fuel subsidy, explaining that the NNPC had opted to forgo some of its profits to cushion the impact of higher petrol prices on consumers.

"The NNPC has looked at it and said we are making this much profit. Why can't we forgo some of the profit that we are making, so that Nigerians will have some form of cushioning?" he said.

The minister made this point during a media chat with senior editors and journalists on Monday,...