Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), has called on the federal government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to immediately reverse the recent hike in petrol prices.
On September 3, the NNPC raised the pump price of petrol to N855 per liter across its retail outlets, exacerbating long queues at filling stations and disrupting business activities nationwide.
Doguwa expressed concern over the situation, accusing private companies of exploiting gaps in the system for profit at the expense of Nigerians. He warned that such actions could impede the nation’s progress.
“We urge the federal government and the NNPCL to consider the plight of Nigerians and suspend this recent increase in pump price,” he said, describing the hike as “unacceptable” given the already challenging conditions facing citizens.
He emphasized that adding further economic strain would not be in the country’s best interest, reiterating his commitment to addressing revenue loss caused by crude oil theft. As chairman of the special committee on crude oil theft and pipeline vandalization, Doguwa vowed to take decisive action.
“We are working closely with security agencies to secure oil pipelines and other critical infrastructure,” Doguwa added, stressing the importance of involving youths and community leaders in oil-producing regions to curb frequent theft that could further disrupt fuel supply.
He also appealed to Nigerians to be patient as the federal government works on repositioning the oil and gas sector.
