Over the past year, Nigerians, on the average, consistently paid less for premium motor spirit (petrol), kerosene, diesel and cooking gas; according to a series of reports published yesterday by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The average amount paid by Nigerian consumers for petrol per litre, for instance, decreased to ₦148.1 in June down from ₦150.2 paid in May. This indicates a 1.4% decrease month-on-month. Similarly, the average price for the commodity fell by 1.5% year-on-year according to the report.
But despite the relative decline in average price, some states still paid more for petrol than others. These states include Borno, Kebbi and Sokoto States, where residents paid ₦162.17, ₦158.24 and ₦154.20, respectively, each time they purchased a litre of petrol. Unlike the above-named, Abuja (FCT), Lagos and Oyo States are some of the places where the price for PMS was the cheapest.
Similarly, the average price for diesel (which is also known as automotive gas oil) fell by 2.59% year-on-year, 0.34% month-on-month. Consumers paid ₦204.97 per litre of diesel in June, as against ₦205.67 in May 2018.
As always, some states paid more per litre of diesel than others, including Gombe (₦288.02), Taraba (₦255.12) and Kebbi (₦227.50). On the other hand, Abuja, Adamawa and Nasarawa States all recorded the least average prices of ₦185.03, ₦180 and ₦175.41; respectively.
Moving on, the average price for kerosene also fell 2.64% year-on-year, and 0.22% month-on-month, with consumers paying ₦279.67 per litre in June as against ₦280.29 in May.
The report states the following:
“States with the highest average price per litre of kerosene were Abuja (₦319.44), Yobe (₦309.52) and Enugu (₦309.17). States with the lowest average price per litre of kerosene were Kogi (₦243.52), Borno (₦235.01) and Abia (₦226.67).” – NBS
Lastly, Nigerians paid less every time they refilled either a 5kg or a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas. For one, the average sums paid by most Nigerians to refill both the 5kg and 12.5kg cylinders of cooking gas fell -8.1% and -4.38% year-on-year, respectively. In the same vein, the average price fell -1.80% and -0.46% month-on-month, even as most consumers spent ₦2,034.93 and ₦4,278.95 (respectively) to refill both the 5kg and the 12.5kg cylinders in June; against ₦2,072.24 and ₦4,298.72 in May.
While some states like Kaduna, Ebonyi, and Ogun spent less on gas over the period under consideration, others such as Bauchi, Borno and Benue spent more.
