Petrol Increased To N626.21 In September- NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says the average retail price of a litre of petrol increased from N191.65 in September 2022 to N626.21 in September 2023. It made the declaration in its Petrol Price Watch for September 2023 released in Abuja on Saturday. It stated that the September 2023 price of N626.21 represented a 226.75 per cent increase over the price of N191.65 recorded in September 2022. “Comparing the average price value with the previous month of August 2023, the average retail price increased by 0.08 per cent from N626.70. “On state profiles analysis, Taraba paid the highest average retail price of N665.56 per litre, followed by Borno and Benue at N657.37 and N641.29, respectively. “Conversely, Rivers, Delta and Jigawa paid the lowest average retail prices at N602.55, N605.88 and N617.42, respectively,’’ it stated. Analysis by zones showed that the North-East recorded the highest average retail price in September 2023 at N638.33, while the South-South recorded the lowest at N618.47 per litre. The NBS also stated in its Diesel Price Watch Report for September 2023 that the average retail price was N890.80 per litre. It explained further that the September 2023 price of N890.80 per litre amounted to a 12.77 per cent increase over the N789.90 per litre paid in September 2022. “On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 4.27 per cent from the N854.32 per litre recorded in August 2023,’’ it added. On state profile analysis, the report said the highest average price of diesel in September 2023 was recorded in Kano at N967.78 per litre, followed by Anambra at N950.95 per litre and Niger at N950.55 per litre. On the other hand, the lowest price was recorded in Bayelsa at N840.16 per litre followed by Katsina at N840.55 per litre and Rivers at N840.82 per litre. In addition, the analysis by zones showed that the South-East has the highest price at N918.06 per litre, while the South-South recorded the lowest price at N863.97 per litre. 

Nigerians to pay more for petrol as ex-depot price hits N490/litre

As the ex-depot prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), rises to N490 per litre, some independent fuel marketers in Lagos are already selling the product at prices higher than the fixed rate of N488 per litre. According to unconfirmed reports, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited depot sells to major marketers at N466.52 per litre, private depots are however selling at N490 per litre. NNPCL stations are selling fuel at the fixed rate of N488 per litre, while major marketers sell fuel between N488 and N492 per litre. Independent marketers who purchase from private depots at N490 per litre are selling fuel to consumers at prices above N500 per litre. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inauguration speech declared that the controversial petroleum subsidy regime was gone. He said rather the funds saved from the subsidies would be channeled to other critical areas.    The federal government for several decades, subsidised fuel and fixed retail prices of petroleum products. The payment has, however, threatened the nation’s fiscal position and impacted the government’s ability to fund developmental projects across the country.