The average retail price of a litre of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, witnessed a significant increase from ₦1,288.54 in March to ₦1,532.93 in April. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) made this known in its latest Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch report released in Abuja on Friday, May 29.
According to the bureau, the April price of ₦1,532.93 represents an 18.97 percent increase over the price recorded in the preceding month of March. On a year-on-year basis, the average retail price of petrol escalated by 23.69 percent when compared to the ₦1,239.33 recorded in April 2025.
A detailed analysis of state profiles revealed that consumers in Yobe State paid the highest average retail price for petrol in the country at ₦1,599.05 per litre. This was closely followed by Edo State at ₦1,595.74 and Bauchi State at ₦1,589.07.
Conversely, Niger State recorded the lowest average retail price for the commodity at ₦1,403.89 per litre, with Sokoto and Katsina states following closely behind at ₦1,404.16 and ₦1,406.28 respectively.
Zonal analysis indicated that the South-South region recorded the highest average retail price for petrol across the country in April at ₦1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West zone documented the lowest average cost at ₦1,508.81 per litre.
The National Bureau of Statistics also highlighted sharp price hikes in its Automotive Gas Oil, or diesel, Price Watch Report, revealing that the average retail price paid by consumers surged by 50.16 percent on a month-on-month basis. The retail cost of diesel moved rapidly from ₦1,648.06 per litre in March to a much higher average of ₦2,474.69 in April.
On a year-on-year basis, the price of diesel climbed by 43.67 percent, rising from the ₦1,722.45 per litre recorded in April 2025 to the current high of ₦2,474.69.
State-by-state data for diesel showed that Nasarawa State recorded the highest average price in April at ₦2,818.94 per litre, followed by Ebonyi State at ₦2,754.06 and Taraba State at ₦2,704.76.
On the lower end of the pricing spectrum, Kebbi State recorded the cheapest average price at ₦2,180.28 per litre, followed by Kogi State at ₦2,192.70 and突Katsina State at ₦2,269.14. From a zonal perspective, the North-East region held the highest average price for diesel at ₦2,603.00 per litre, while the North-West region registered the lowest average price at ₦2,409.34 per litre.
Energy experts state that the dramatic month-on-month increase in both petrol and diesel prices across Nigeria has been largely driven by compounding geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. These international disruptions, particularly surrounding critical trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz, have caused noticeable volatility in global energy supplies and pushed international Brent crude oil benchmarks significantly higher, directly impacting domestic landing and retail costs.