Fresh Petrol Price Hike Hits Nigerians as Dangote Refinery Faces Supply Glitch

A fresh surge in petrol prices has hit filling stations across Nigeria following a temporary supply disruption at the Dangote Refinery — the country’s newest and largest fuel producer.

Checks across Abuja and Lagos on Monday revealed that major filling stations, including NNPC Retail, Ranoil, Mobil, Sharon, and AA Rano, have adjusted their pump prices upward.

At NNPC outlets along Kubwa Expressway, Gwarimpa, and Wuse Zones 4 and 6 in Abuja, fuel now sells for ₦955 per litre — a ₦50 increase from ₦905. Similar hikes were recorded in Lagos, where NNPC stations also raised prices.

Other stations followed suit, with Ranoil now dispensing at ₦930 (up from ₦910), while Mobil, Sharon, and AA Rano pegged their prices at ₦920 per litre.

The latest increase compounds the economic pressure already felt by Nigerians after the price of cooking gas spiked to between ₦1,500 and ₦3,000 per kilogram in major cities — up from ₦1,200–₦1,300 earlier in the year.

Marketers Blame Supply Disruption at Dangote Refinery

The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Maigandi, attributed the latest fuel hike to the unavailability of petrol from Dangote Refinery over the weekend.

“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 DAILY POST. “Currently, most of our members don’t have fuel because we are waiting for Dangote supply.”

Sources confirmed that MRS filling stations, owned by Aliko Dangote and Sayyu Dantata, have remained shut since Saturday after selling at ₦851 per litre before supplies were halted.

‘Artificial Hike’ – PETROAN President

Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), described the sudden spike as “artificial,” saying it reflects market instability triggered by Dangote Refinery’s entry into the downstream sector.

“Right now, this price hike is artificial, waiting for all the indexes to play out rightly in the industry,” he said. “Dangote Refinery’s arrival is a game changer, but as with every new system, there will be initial disruptions before things stabilise.”

He urged industry stakeholders to collaborate and build a transparent supply framework to ensure fair pricing and prevent market shocks.

Background: Refinery’s Growing Influence

Dangote Refinery, which began fuel supply nationwide in September, currently provides about 20 million litres of petrol daily — nearly half of Nigeria’s estimated 48 million-litre daily consumption, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The recent supply glitch comes weeks after a strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) was called off following disputes with the refinery over mass layoffs.

This marks the second petrol price increase in just over a week, raising fears of further inflation in a country where headline and food inflation already stand at 20.1% and 21.87%, respectively.

Economists warn that without stable refinery operations and effective regulatory coordination, Nigerians may continue to face steep hikes in energy costs, deepening the cost-of-living crisis.