THE NATIONAL Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported significant increases in the prices of petroleum products and cooking gas across Nigeria in April 2026, reflecting mounting pressure on household and transportation costs amid global energy market disruptions.
According to the NBS Price Watch reports released in Abuja, the average retail price of petrol rose from N1,288.54 per litre in March to N1,532.93 in April, representing an 18.97 per cent month-on-month increase.
On a year-on-year basis, reports NBS, petrol prices increased by 23.69 per cent from N1,239.33 recorded in April 2025.
The report showed that Yobe recorded the highest average petrol price at N1,599.05 per litre, followed by Edo and Bauchi, while Niger, Sokoto and Katsina recorded the lowest prices. Regionally, the South-South posted the highest average retail price, while the North-West recorded the lowest.
Similarly, diesel prices recorded a sharp increase during the period. The average retail price rose by 50.16 per cent from N1,648.06 per litre in March to N2,474.69 in April 2026. Compared to April 2025, diesel prices increased by 43.67 per cent.
Nasarawa recorded the highest diesel price at N2,818.94 per litre, followed by Ebonyi and Taraba, while Kebbi, Kogi and Katsina recorded the lowest average prices. The North-East emerged as the zone with the highest diesel prices, while the North-West recorded the lowest.
The NBS also reported a substantial increase in kerosene prices nationwide.
The average retail price of kerosene rose from N2,430.38 per litre in March to N2,976.94 in April, representing a 22.49 per cent increase.
Year-on-year, the product recorded a 34.12 per cent rise from N2,219.69 in April 2025.
Sokoto recorded the highest average kerosene price per litre at N3,965.10, followed by Kebbi and Lagos, while Bayelsa, Kogi and Yobe posted the lowest prices.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average, while the South-East recorded the lowest.
For consumers purchasing kerosene by gallon, the average retail price increased to N13,396.23 in April from N10,936.71 in March, marking a 22.49 per cent increase. On a year-on-year basis, the price rose by 61.50 per cent.
Cooking gas prices also continued their upward trend during the period.
The average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder increased from N7,655.73 in March to N8,706.93 in April, representing a 13.73 per cent rise.
Similarly, the average cost of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder rose by 13.89 per cent from N19,652.83 to N22,382.20.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder, while Anambra posted the lowest. For 12.5kg cylinders, Katsina recorded the highest price, while Ogun had the lowest average cost.
Industry experts attributed the persistent rise in fuel and cooking gas prices to a combination of international and domestic factors, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, rising global crude oil prices, exchange rate volatility, supply shortages and high logistics costs.
Analysts noted that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict have disrupted global energy supplies and pushed up international energy benchmarks, with direct implications for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market.
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) also linked the increase in cooking gas prices to supply shortages and rising procurement costs, noting that LPG currently sells between N1,500 and N1,700 per kilogram in several locations across the country.
Energy experts warned that the continued rise in cooking gas prices could force more households to revert to the use of charcoal and firewood, potentially undermining efforts to promote cleaner and more sustainable energy use in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have continued to call on the Federal Government to introduce measures aimed at stabilising energy prices and reducing the growing financial burden on households and businesses.
