The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has quietly lowered its petrol prices across its Abuja stations, a move that comes hot on the heels of a Daily Post market survey exposing how consumers were turning their backs on the state-owned firm.
Checks by our reporters on Tuesday revealed that NNPCL outlets in Gwarimpa, along the Kubwa Expressway, and in Wuse Zones 4 and 6 have all dropped their pump price to N1,250 per litre, down from the previous N1,299. That translates to a N49 cut per litre in a single day.
The price adjustment is a direct response to a Daily Post report showing that Nigerians were deliberately avoiding NNPCL filling stations, frustrated by the company’s refusal to match the more competitive rates offered by rivals.
The pressure had been building for days. Dangote Refinery-backed MRS stations, along with several other independent dealers, had already slashed their prices by between N25 and N50 per litre, bringing petrol to as low as N1,210 and topping out at N1,275.
With this latest move from NNPCL, motorists in the Federal Capital Territory and its surrounding areas can now fill their tanks for anywhere between N1,210 and N1,300 per litre, depending on which station they choose. The gap between the state-owned giant and its private competitors has narrowed considerably, but the question remains whether NNPCL will go further to truly win back the trust of price-sensitive Nigerian drivers.
