Reports indicate that several NNPCL and MRS retail stations in major areas of Abuja had no petrol supply as of Monday night, raising fresh concerns among motorists and consumers already struggling with rising fuel costs.
The development followed further price adjustments by petroleum marketers, with companies such as Ranoil and Empire increasing their petrol pump prices by between N55 and N60 per litre. By the close of business on Monday, petrol prices at some outlets in the nation’s capital had risen to between N1,275 and N1,280 per litre.
The latest adjustment means that within a period of less than one week, some major filling stations have increased petrol prices by at least N100 per litre, adding pressure to households and businesses that depend heavily on fuel.
Depot owners have also reportedly raised their ex-depot prices, with rates climbing to between N1,249 and N1,270 per litre as of Monday night.
Fuel Supply Concerns After Dangote Refinery Dollar Pricing Move
The latest petrol price surge comes shortly after the Dangote Refinery resumed the sale of refined petroleum products in dollars, a move that has triggered concerns among marketers over affordability and supply stability.
The 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery reportedly pegged its petrol gantry price at $0.779 per litre, while diesel was priced at $1.087 per litre and aviation fuel at $0.942 per litre.
Although the refinery maintained that its gantry prices had not changed, some petroleum marketers claimed that product loading from the facility had been suspended.
Two managers of MRS filling stations in Abuja, who spoke anonymously, said their outlets had been without petrol since Thursday last week.
Fuel attendants at NNPCL retail stations also confirmed that some outlets ran out of products on Monday afternoon.
The development has further increased uncertainty in the downstream oil market, with stakeholders warning that continued instability could worsen fuel availability and pricing challenges.
Marketers Blame Global Oil Prices, Dollar Transactions
Earlier, petroleum marketers had raised concerns over the increasing cost of imported fuel, citing higher shipping expenses and rising international crude oil prices as major factors affecting petrol prices.
On Monday night, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude traded above $82 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed above $87 per barrel.
Reacting to the latest development, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) called on the Federal Government to intervene.
PETROAN President Billy Gillis-Harry warned that the government could not remain passive while petrol prices continued to rise.
“The Federal Government’s intervention is key. The Federal Government should step in over Dangote Refinery’s resumption of refined products sales in dollars.”
He added:
“Most of our members are unable to load products in dollars. We don’t want the downstream sector to be dollarised.”
Similarly, IPMAN spokesperson Chinedu Ukadike urged the government to reopen discussions with Dangote Refinery and revive the Naira-for-Crude deal, which was designed to enable local refiners access crude supplies and sell refined products in naira.
“We support the reactivation of the Naira-for-Crude deal with Dangote Refinery. We want to sell cheaper petroleum products to Nigerians.”
He added:
“Some of our members’ stations are closed because we could not obtain products in naira. The Federal Government should resume talks with Dangote Refinery before the situation gets out of hand.”
Why Dangote Refinery Returned to Dollar Sales
While Dangote Refinery has not officially disclosed the reason for suspending naira-based transactions for refined products, industry sources linked the decision to challenges surrounding the implementation of the Naira-for-Crude arrangement.
Sources within the refinery reportedly claimed that the facility receives only about four million barrels of crude monthly from NNPCL, instead of the 13 million barrels expected under the agreement.
However, NNPCL spokesperson Andy Odey dismissed claims of supply restrictions, stating that the company had fulfilled its obligations.
“Allocated 100 per cent of all available naira crude cargoes to DPRP in 2026 — there has been no withholding on our part,” he said.
Government Under Pressure as Petrol Costs Rise
The Federal Government has yet to issue a detailed response to the latest petrol price increases, even as Nigerians continue to feel the impact of rising transportation and living costs.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also serves as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, introduced the Naira-for-Crude initiative in 2024 as part of efforts to reduce the impact of global oil price fluctuations on Nigerians.
The last major meeting between government officials and stakeholders in the downstream sector took place in the first week of July, focusing on the issue of cost-reflective petrol pricing.
With fuel availability becoming uncertain and prices climbing rapidly, industry operators are calling for urgent intervention to prevent further disruptions in the country’s petroleum supply chain.