Petroleum product depot owners and marketers in Nigeria have raised their ex‑depot petrol prices in response to the planned shutdown of Dangote Refinery’s petrol unit for maintenance and upgrades. Major depots such as Ranoil, Optima and AYM Shafa are now selling petrol at roughly N800 per litre, up from the previous range of N740‑N780. In contrast, Dangote and Aiteo are offering petrol at N702 and N740 per litre respectively.
The price hike is linked to the scheduled turnaround maintenance at the Dangote Refinery, which is expected to affect the country’s petrol supply. According to Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Dangote Industries, the refinery has been operating at over 100 % capacity in most departments and needs maintenance to remove constraints and boost overall output.
As of Saturday afternoon, retail fuel prices across major Nigerian filling stations ranged from N739 to N910 per litre. The increase has raised concerns about its impact on consumers and the broader economy. The Dangote Refinery, one of Africa’s largest, plays a crucial role in meeting Nigeria’s petrol demand. While the maintenance is a routine procedure to ensure optimal functioning, the resulting price rise underscores the nation’s reliance on imported fuel and the need for greater domestic refining capacity.
Nigeria has been working to expand its refining capability, with the Dangote Refinery central to this effort. Although the current price increase may be a short‑term setback, it highlights the importance of investing in the country’s energy infrastructure. As the government continues to boost domestic refining capacity, reliance on imported fuel could decline and petrol prices may stabilize. For now, consumers must bear the brunt of the higher prices, and it remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming days.
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