Abiodun JIMOH
Nigerians are facing renewed fuel price hikes as a temporary supply glitch at the Dangote Refinery disrupts petrol distribution across the country, forcing major and independent marketers to raise pump prices.
Investigations by BusinessNG on Monday revealed that NNPCL retail outlets in Abuja, including those along Kubwa Expressway, Gwarimpa, and Wuse Zones 4 and 6, have increased petrol prices by ₦50, from ₦905 to ₦955 per litre, representing a 5.5% rise. Similar upward adjustments were recorded across Lagos and other major cities, where stations such as Ranoil, Mobil, Sharon, and AA Rano reviewed prices to between ₦920 and ₦930 per litre.
The latest petrol price surge compounds the economic strain already weighing on households, following a recent jump in cooking gas prices to between ₦1,500 and ₦3,000 per kilogram, up from ₦1,200–₦1,300 in Abuja and Lagos. The development comes as headline and food inflation stand at 20.1% and 21.87%, respectively, worsening Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis.
Reacting to the hike, Abubakar Maigandi, President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), blamed the situation on the unavailability of Dangote Refinery products since Saturday.
“For the past two days, our members have been unable to get fuel from Dangote Refinery. It might be the reason for the hike,” Maigandi told BusinessNG. “Most of our members currently don’t have fuel and are waiting for new supply.”
Similarly, Billy Gillis-Harry, National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), described the increase as “artificial,” noting that the refinery’s recent entry into the market has introduced temporary disruptions.
“Dangote Refinery’s arrival is a positive game changer, but everyone is still adjusting to the new supply framework. These are short-term challenges that will stabilize soon,” he said.
BusinessNG gathered that MRS filling stations, owned by Aliko Dangote and Sayyu Dantata, have remained closed since Saturday after dispensing fuel at ₦851 per litre.
Since September, Dangote Refinery has been implementing a nationwide fuel supply scheme, supplying an average of 20 million litres of petrol daily, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)—nearly half of Nigeria’s estimated 48 million-litre daily consumption.
However, the latest disruption exposes the fragile state of Nigeria’s downstream sector and its sensitivity to refinery supply issues. With two fuel price increases in less than eight days, industry stakeholders are calling for coordinated action among NNPCL, Dangote Refinery, and regulators to stabilize the market and ease the mounting burden on consumers.
