Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has criticised the recent hike in petrol prices by Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals and other operators in the downstream petroleum sector, describing the move as unnecessary and unfair to Nigerians.
Speaking on Tuesday, Adeyanju argued that the Premium Motor Spirit currently being distributed across the country had been refined long before the recent escalation of hostilities in the Gulf region. According to him, it is unjustifiable to attribute the latest price increase to geopolitical tensions that did not impact the production cost of already refined petroleum products.
The refinery recently raised its gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit by N100 per litre. Following this adjustment, major retail outlets including MRS Oil Nigeria Plc and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited implemented similar increases at filling stations nationwide, leading to higher pump prices for consumers.
Adeyanju further noted that the refinery sources crude oil domestically. He pointed out that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the sale of crude oil to the refinery in Naira through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. Given this arrangement, he questioned the rationale behind passing additional costs onto citizens.
He maintained that Nigerians should not be made to bear the financial burden of price adjustments linked to international developments that have no direct effect on locally sourced crude or previously refined stock.
The development has sparked fresh concerns about the rising cost of living and the broader impact of fuel price volatility on transportation, food prices, and small businesses across the country.
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