TheCable

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the average price paid for premium motor spirit (PMS), better known as petrol, was N172.68 in March 2021.

According to the NBS latest report, this is an increase of 18.76 percent from N145.40 in March 2020 and 3.87 percent rise compared to N166.24 paid in February 2021.

“States with the highest average price of premium motor spirit (petrol) were Lagos (N200.87), Ebonyi (N184.17) and Niger (N183.50),” the report read.

“States with the lowest average price of premium motor spirit (petrol) were Adamawa (N162.91), Taraba (N162.67) and Bauchi (N164.00).”

For the average petrol prices across the six geopolitical zones, NBS said south-east was highest with N181.10, followed by north-central (N175.53), and south-south (N174.94).

Meanwhile, south-west (N173.36); north-west (N167.91); and north-east (N164.95) had the lowest average price of petrol.

The bureau also said the average price for automotive gas oil (diesel) increased by 3.36 percent from N227.76 in February 2021 to N235.41 in March 2021.

“States with the highest average price of diesel were Borno (N275.30), Benue (N264.91) and Bauchi (N257.50), while states with the lowest average price of diesel were Plateau (N207.50), Rivers (N211.25) and Ekiti (N215.36).”

The report showed that the average price for refilling a 5kg liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder, better known as cooking gas, rose by 1.92 percent to N2,057.71 in March 2021 from N2,018.91 in February 2021.

However, the average price for refilling a 12.5kg cooking gas cylinder declined by 0.10 percent from N4,363.51 in February 2021 to N4,359.23 in March 2021.

On kerosene, NBS said the average price per litre paid by consumers increased by 1.54 percent to N361.29 in March 2021 from N355.80 in February 2021.

Similarly, the average price per gallon for kerosene increased by 1.86 percent to N1,236.86 in March 2021 from N1,214.24 in February 2021.