In a move set to impact millions of Nigerians ahead of the festive travel season, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has announced a fresh adjustment to the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, across its retail outlets nationwide.
Price Variations Across States: A Detailed Breakdown
The new pricing structure, effective from Friday, December 19, 2025, reveals significant disparities across different states. The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, emerges as the cheapest major market, with petrol selling for N835 per litre. This is surprisingly lower than the commercial nerve centre, Lagos, where the NNPC retail price is set at N840 per litre.
Conversely, motorists in Gombe State face the highest cost, with a litre of petrol priced at N965 at NNPC stations. Other states in the northern region also recorded high prices, with Niger State at N955, Zamfara at N945, Sokoto at N930, and Kaduna at N925 per litre.
In the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones, prices clustered around the N900 mark. States like Akwa Ibom, Borno, and Cross River have a pump price of N910, while Ebonyi is at N908. A significant number of states, including Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Kano, and Taraba, are selling petrol at approximately N905 per litre.
States with Moderate and Lower Fuel Costs
Some states enjoyed relatively more moderate rates. Edo and Oyo States recorded prices of about N890 per litre, while Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Rivers had an average price of N895. Benue State stood out as one of the cheapest, with petrol selling for N875 per litre at NNPC outlets.
Kwara State recorded one of the lowest prices nationwide at N850 per litre, further highlighting the regional pricing inconsistencies.
The full snapshot of the new NNPC petrol prices, arranged from highest to lowest, is as follows:
- Gombe: N965
- Niger: N955
- Zamfara: N945
- Sokoto: N930
- Kaduna: N925
- Nassarawa: N920
- Bauchi: N915
- Akwa Ibom: N910
- Borno: N910
- Cross River: N910
- Yobe: N910
- Ebonyi: N908
- Abia: N905
- Adamawa: N905
- Anambra: N905
- Enugu: N905
- Imo: N905
- Kano: N905
- Taraba: N905
- Bayelsa: N900
- Delta: N900
- Ekiti: N900
- Plateau: N900
- Edo: N890
- Oyo: N890
- Ogun: N895
- Ondo: N895
- Osun: N895
- Rivers: N895
- Kwara: N850
- Lagos: N840
- Abuja: N835
Market Competition and Relief for Travellers
This price adjustment by the NNPC is widely seen as a competitive response to market dynamics. The move follows Dangote Refinery's decision to slash its ex-depot price to N699 and implement a retail price of N739 per litre at its partner filling stations. Major marketers like MRS Oil have already adopted these new, lower rates.
The timing of the NNPC's announcement is crucial, coming just days before the Christmas and New Year holiday period when millions of Nigerians traditionally travel across the country. The price reduction in key consumption centres like Abuja and Lagos is expected to bring some relief and could potentially lead to a downward adjustment in transportation fares if sustained.
In related news, the Dangote Refinery continues to expand its market presence. Sixxco Oil Ltd, a Nigerian downstream operator, has reportedly begun taking direct delivery of petroleum products, including PMS, from the refinery under its Direct Delivery Scheme, indicating a growing shift in the nation's fuel supply landscape.
