Days after Nigerians enjoyed a reduction in the pump price of petrol, it appears the dreadful days are back.
This is as indications have emerged that pump price of petrol is gradually nearing N1,000 per litre in Nigeria.
Already, petroleum product marketers and retailers are trading blame for the development, which comes despite the reduction of crude in the international market.
As at last week, the price of the commodity has jumped by N65 per litre to N955 per litre on Monday from N890 dispensed at the weekend.
The price differential has also been observed nationwide, leading to worry among the citizens.
Nigerians are more confused over the cause of the recent hike considering that Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude futures dropped to $68.70 and $66.24 per barrel in the international market.
As blame games continue, marketers and retailers are citing the exchange rate, the Dangote Refinery, and the Depot Owners petrol ex-depot price increase, as the major reasons.
While the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria blamed the exchange rate for the latest fuel price hike, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria blamed Dangote Refinery's pricing system.
The spokesman of IPMAN and the National President of PETROAN, Chinedu Ukadike and Billy Gillis-Harry, respectively, made these perspectives known in separate interviews granted to Daily Post on Monday.
"Fuel prices went up due to forces of demand and supply.
"Supplying Depots and Dangote Refinery have increased their ex-depot petrol prices.
"The cost of the Dollar is the reason for the price hike for depot owners.
"As of Friday, Dangote Refinery is N858 per litre, NIPCO (N870), Aiteo (855), and Ranoil (N865)," Ukadike said.
On his part, Gillis-Harry blamed the Dangote Refinery pricing mechanism for the latest fuel price hike.
"We should be looking at proper fuel pricing because what the Dangote Refinery is doing is not proper pricing," he said.
Meanwhile, Nigerians who spoke to NATIONAL POST lamented that the recent happening would further worsen the hardship which was beginning to ease off.
A concerned Nigerian, Mr Maxwell Ogbu told our correspondent that “this is not good news at all. It is strange that whereas the price of crude is coming down in the international market, the price of petrol is pushing up in Nigeria.”
“This is unacceptable and we ask the NNPCL to rise to the occasion and save Nigerians from Shylock businessmen.
“We cannot continue to suffer this way. You know that once petrol price goes up, it will have an immediate adverse effect on every other thing in the country,” he added.