By Ayomide Otitoju
The average retail price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) in Nigeria rose by 25.24% year-on-year to N1,758.26 per litre in May 2025, up from N1,403.96 recorded in May 2024, according to new data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The report, titled “Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) Price Watch – May 2025”, also noted a 2.08% increase month-on-month, from N1,722.45 in April 2025.
This development comes despite a continued easing in Nigeria’s overall inflation rate, which dropped to 22.97% in May 2025 — the second consecutive month of decline — from 23.71% in April.
Regional analysis of diesel prices revealed significant disparities across the country. Benue State recorded the highest average price at N2,441.46 per litre, followed by Adamawa (N2,350.32) and Plateau (N2,201.52). In contrast, the lowest prices were seen in Ondo (N1,318.40), Kogi (N1,360.00), and Anambra (N1,361.02).
The North-Central region, including the Federal Capital Territory, paid the most on average at N1,920.47 per litre, while the South-West recorded the lowest average at N1,553.19.
Other regional averages were as follows:
North-West: N1,769.28
North-East: N1,767.21
South-East: N1,632.33
South-South: N1,857.19
For April 2025, the top three states with the highest diesel prices — Benue, Adamawa, and Plateau — remained unchanged in May, as did the lowest-priced states: Kogi, Ondo, and Anambra.
Despite a downward trend in overall inflation, diesel prices continue to rise, reflecting persistent volatility in Nigeria’s energy sector and the challenges of managing fuel costs across states.
