Senator Shehu Sani has voiced his dismay over the unexpected rise in petrol prices, contrary to public expectations that the Dangote Refinery would help lower costs.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, the former senator remarked, “The expectation was that Dangote Refinery will crash the price of petrol; the news that it’s increasing is baffling.”
The criticism comes in the wake of an announcement by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery confirming an upward adjustment in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices. The refinery now sells PMS at N955 per litre for customers purchasing between 2 and 4.99 million litres and N950 per litre for those buying 5 million litres or more.
This marks a 6.17% increase, equivalent to N55.5 per litre, compared to the discounted rate of N899.50 per litre offered during December 2024’s holiday period.
Consequently, retail petrol prices have risen sharply, with outlets selling the product for between N1,030 and N1,050 per litre, sparking widespread public dissatisfaction.
The development has triggered a wave of criticism, as many Nigerians had hoped that the operational commencement of the Dangote Refinery would lead to lower fuel prices and alleviate economic pressures on the populace.
