By Ediri Ejoh & Genevieve Aningo

Amidst controversies over appropriate pump price for petrol, repreau of Statistics, NBS, has indicated that petrol marketers in16 states of the country are selling the product significantly higher than the N145 maximum price stipulated by the federal government.

While the marketers have subtly canvassed for upward review of the ceiling on the bases of upwards movement in exchange rate, the key factor in the petrol pricing template, many stakeholders have argued that the marketers were being selfish in pressuring the government for their financial gains at the expense of the economy and the citizens.

Also the federal government through both the presidency and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, have resisted the pressure saying that the increase was not acceptable.

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has also indicated that at N145 per litre the marketers were already making huge margins on the exchange rate of N280/USD1.00, arguing that the further depreciation of Naira recently only narrowed the profit margin instead of wiping it out.

But according to the NBS report, as at last month Nigerians across the 36 states bought petrol at average of N147 per litre, above the fixed price cap of N145 per litre.

Specifically, the reports show that in 16 states the price ranged from N145.90 in Imo State to N164.30 in Bayelsa State.

In the report, all oil producing states are running the most expensive fuel price, except Edo and Delta.

Other states that recorded significant mark-up on the benchmark price include: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Rivers and Sokoto, with a range of N146 and N164.3 per litre.

Meanwhile, within this period, no regulatory agency has been able to check the discrepancy.

coolzeal:
Why don't they pick a gun and shoot everybody in this country? At least those we call leaders can loot and govern themselves with their incompetent minds.

Meanwhile, within this period, no regulatory agency has been able to check the discrepancy

modath:


No, you pick a gun & do yourself in... saves everyone the trouble of trying to explain clear & simple .... the stations that have been selling & still do at 143 are they super humans or ghosts?

Is it the government's (Buhari is the subject of your indisguisable innuendo) that you love to hate responsible for this?



He is supposed to (from thousands of kilos away) do the job of the regulatory agencies by remote control on their behalf?...

Na wah!

sarrki:
You can see

Is Pmb also responsible for this

We need change of attitude

Change begins with me

coolzeal:
I thought they claimed to have fixed most of the refineries in this nation and besides, I'm holding someone accountable when he created a remarkable speech to stabilise oil price. It's only fair to increase workers salaries and minimum wage.

For the record, I'm not a partisan but a free thinker.

In the report, all oil producing states are running the most expensive fuel price, except Edo and Delta.

coolzeal:
I thought they claimed to have fixed most of the refineries in this nation and besides, I'm holding someone accountable when he created a remarkable speech to stabilise oil price. It's only fair to increase workers salaries and minimum wage.

For the record, I'm not a partisan but a free thinker.

babniyen:
I have been buying at #135 at Ibeju and its reasonably complete too.

simplycarro:
Even before reading the reports I know most of the culprits will be the Baifrans.
Abia e dey
Anambra e dey dia
Ebonyi e dey
Ebbugu e dey
Imo sef join.
These guys can't live without economic exploitation. They are even more comfortable cheating themselves.

drss2:
it is happening. expect fuel scarcity by d ending of september n early october.