Abuja residents are paying more for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, as pump prices soared across several filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.

Checks revealed that major outlets, including Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail stations, Empire, AA Rano, and Shema, adjusted their prices to between ₦905 and ₦945 per litre as of October 6, 2025.

At Empire Filling Station in Gwarimpa, petrol was sold at ₦945 per litre, the highest rate recorded, while MRS, Emedeb, Raniol, and Eterna stations dispensed the product between ₦885 and ₦910 per litre.

Reacting to the development, the President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Maigandi, and the association’s spokesperson, Chinedu Ukadike, attributed the price hike to supply disruptions caused by the recent PENGASSAN strike.

Maigandi explained that IPMAN members sourcing petrol from Dangote Refinery were still selling between ₦885 and ₦895 per litre, assuring that prices would normalize once the panic buying subsides.

“The feud between Dangote and PENGASSAN might have triggered artificial scarcity. I can assure you the price will drop in the coming days,” Maigandi said.

Ukadike also noted that the strike had led to temporary scarcity in Lagos and Abuja, but expressed optimism that fuel availability would soon stabilize.

Depot prices have reportedly risen slightly to ₦844 per litre at Dangote Refinery, ₦845 at Raniol and Aiteo, and ₦850 at NIPCO depots in Lagos.

The development follows the recent resolution of a dispute between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which resulted in a two-day strike over the alleged mass sacking of Nigerian workers.

Following the Federal Government’s intervention, the strike was suspended, and Dangote Refinery publicly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others for their roles in ending the industrial action.

Meanwhile, at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES31) held on Monday, Vice President Kashim Shettima criticized PENGASSAN, saying the country is “bigger than any union.”

In response, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo countered, stating that “the country is also bigger than Dangote Refinery and the presidency.”

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s planned 5% tax on petroleum products, warning that the policy will worsen hardship, cripple businesses, and deepen poverty across the country.

In a statement on Monday, signed by its President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, the union described the levy as “economic wickedness” against already struggling Nigerians.

The TUC said workers and citizens are still grappling with the impact of subsidy removal, rising fuel prices, food inflation, and a weakening naira, stressing that the new tax would further compound suffering.

It warned that failure to withdraw the policy could trigger a nationwide strike, directing its state councils and affiliates to remain on alert for possible action.

“The TUC hereby urges the Federal Government to halt this anti-people policy immediately. If the government goes ahead, we will have no choice but to mobilise Nigerian workers and the masses for a total nationwide resistance. Strike action is firmly on the table,” the union stated.

The Congress also urged civil society groups, professional bodies, student unions, market associations, and religious leaders to join in rejecting the tax.

The Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, recently signed into law a 5% surcharge on petrol and diesel sales under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act. The levy applies to locally refined and imported fossil fuel products but exempts renewables, household kerosene, cooking gas, and compressed natural gas (CNG).

***Demands Decentralisation of Surveillance Contracts

The Southern Ijaw Unity Forum has raised concerns that Nigeria is losing the battle against oil theft despite ongoing government interventions.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the group, through its Chairman, Comrade Timothy Amadiowei, urged President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) not to re-award pipeline surveillance contracts to the current beneficiaries.

Amadiowei said the contracts, which have expired, should instead be decentralised among major stakeholders in the Niger Delta, warning that the existing arrangement had failed to curb oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal refining.

“The Muhammadu Buhari-led government and the NNPCL were made to believe the illusion that one man is king of the Niger Delta and that awarding the pipeline surveillance contract to him would automatically end the war against oil theft,” Amadiowei said.

He added that the neglect of other ex-agitators and freedom fighters who contributed to peace and stability in the region has worsened the problem, fueling illegal activities and community discontent.

Amadiowei named prominent Niger Delta figures such as Alhaji Asari Dokubo, King Ateke Tom, and Endurance Amagbein, stressing that they should be engaged in pipeline security within their domains.

“The only solution to oil theft and illegal refining of petroleum products is decentralisation. Carry everybody along, and you’ll see the difference,” he stated.

The Forum maintained that allowing stakeholders to secure pipelines in their respective communities would enhance effectiveness, as locals are more familiar with those involved in illegal activities.