Nigerian motorists are bracing for renewed financial pressure as petrol prices climb toward the N1,400 per litre mark following a fresh increase by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Effective Saturday, September 12, 2026, the refinery raised its petrol gantry price from N1,265 to N1,350 per litre. This marks the fourth increase in just 22 days, representing a cumulative jump of N185, or approximately 15.9%, since late August.
In response, major filling stations across the country have begun adjusting their pump prices. At the Dangote-backed MRS filling station in Alapere, Lagos, petrol is now selling for N1,395 per litre, up from N1,310. Similarly, a nearby Mobil station has adjusted its rate to N1,385 per litre. In parts of Ogun State, prices hover slightly lower, with Matrix Energy charging N1,360 per litre and Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) retail outlets in Ibafo at N1,380.
However, the price adjustment has not been entirely uniform. Some independent marketers are yet to adopt the new rate, offering motorists brief, temporary relief. Bovas, for instance, was reported to be selling petrol at N1,280 per litre as of Saturday evening.
The relentless upward trajectory of local fuel prices is inextricably linked to a volatile global energy market. International crude oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel, driven by escalating supply disruptions in the Middle East, including tanker attacks and threats to regional energy infrastructure. Brent crude recently settled at $104.61 per barrel after briefly touching $107.63.
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The contrast with earlier this year is stark. Before the Middle East conflict intensified in February, crude oil traded below $69 per barrel, and petrol sold for approximately N830 per litre in parts of Nigeria. Since then, pump prices have surged by more than N500 per litre.
This sustained increase threatens to ripple through the broader economy, driving up transportation, logistics, and food production costs at a time when households are already grappling with a severe cost-of-living squeeze.
As more filling stations are expected to align with the new gantry rate in the coming days, the burden on everyday commuters and businesses will only grow. For now, the road ahead remains steep, and the price of keeping the engine running continues to climb.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
