Nigerians paid more for petrol in April 2026 as the average retail price of PMS jumped 18.97% to ₦1,532.93 per litre, up from ₦1,288.54 in March, the National Bureau of Statistics NBS has said.
The report also showed that petrol prices increased by 23.69 per cent on a year-on-year basis when compared to the ₦1,239.33 average recorded in April 2025, underscoring sustained pressure on energy costs nationwide.
A state-by-state analysis in the report revealed significant disparities in retail prices across the federation.
Yobe recorded the highest average petrol price in April at ₦1,599.05 per litre, followed by Edo at ₦1,595.74 and Bauchi at ₦1,589.07.
Niger posted the lowest average retail price at ₦1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded ₦1,404.16 and ₦1,406.28 respectively.
The figures indicate a widening regional gap in fuel costs, with consumers in some northern and southern states paying nearly ₦200 more per litre than those in lower-priced states.
A breakdown of the 12-month average trend showed major fluctuations in PMS prices over the past year. Petrol prices stood at ₦1,239.33 in April 2025 before declining steadily to ₦970.59 in September 2025, one of the lowest points within the review period.
Prices later rebounded, climbing above the ₦1,000 mark from October 2025 through February 2026. The upward trend accelerated significantly in March and April 2026, culminating in the latest average of ₦1,532.93 per litre.
Analysts say the continued increase in petrol prices is expected to intensify inflationary pressures on transportation, food distribution and production costs, with households and businesses already struggling with rising living expenses.