By Kamil Opeyemi
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC-L) Limited says it has no plan to raise the pump price per litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.
In a terse statement on Monday night, the company urged Nigerians to disregard speculations of a fresh hike in price of the premium product.
This comes hours when the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero warned the NNPC Limited against fresh petrol price hike.
However, NNPC Limited via its social media handles said the company has no intention to increase petrol price for the third consecutive time since the removal of petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023.
“Dear esteemed customers, we at NNPC Retail value your patronage, and we do not have the intention to increase our PMS pump prices as widely speculated.
“Please buy the best quality products at the most affordable prices at our NNPC Retail Stations nationwide,” NNPC-L said
President Bola Tinubu had during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023 announced the removal of petrol subsidy.
With the announcement, the pump price of a litre of petrol rose from N184 to N500. About two months later, the price jumped from N500 to over N617 on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, eliciting anger and criticisms from economically stranded citizens.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari, had blamed the second petrol price hike on market forces.
Transportation cost has since gone up by over 200%, and its attendant economic implications felt on food prices, with the Organised Labour protesting the anti-people policies of the current administration on August 2, 2023.
The unprecedented increase in the price of petrol from N184 per litre to over N600 occurred amid the unification of the foreign exchange rates by the Tinubu administration as well as rising inflation rates.