A number of filling stations in Abuja, including major outlets along the Kubwa Expressway, have gone dark for five consecutive days following a price slash by the Dangote Refinery.
It was gathered that MRS and other Dangote Refinery partners temporarily halted operations after the refinery announced a reduction in its ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N835 per litre on Tuesday, April 16, 2025.
Sources revealed that the sudden price adjustment left the station with unsellable old stock.“We can’t sell at a loss. That’s why we shut down since Tuesday. We may reopen on Tuesday.” A source said.
Another insider claimed the station closure was for maintenance, stating operations would resume with fuel priced at N910 per litre.
Meanwhile, outlets like AP, Ardova, and Optima—also Dangote partners—have continued dispensing fuel at N910 to N920 per litre across Abuja as of Monday, April 21.
Reacting to the disruptions, Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Retailers Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, criticized the unsteady pricing.
“This kind of fluctuation hurts retailers and the economy,” he said. “Price changes must be based on sound economic reasoning.”
Gillis-Harry has previously advocated a six-month price stability framework to prevent such volatility.
Similarly, Chinedu Ukadike, spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, warned that marketers stand to lose billions due to unsold old stock.
This marks the second nationwide price drop from the $20 billion Dangote Refinery this month—amounting to a total reduction of N45 per litre. On April 10, the refinery cut its gantry price to N865, which has now dipped to N835.
The downward trend follows the federal government’s renewed push for its naira-for-crude agreement with local refiners, and global crude oil prices slipping to around $66 per barrel.
In response, the NNPC also trimmed its retail price to N9 35 per litre in Abuja.
As a result, Nigerians are now paying between N890 and N950 per litre, depending on location.
