Vice President Kashim Shettima has summoned Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu over the recent hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
The meeting, which took place on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was called in response to NNPCL’s recent decision to increase petrol prices from ₦568 to between ₦855 and ₦897 per litre, depending on the location. This move comes amid ongoing fuel scarcity and financial difficulties that the NNPCL has publicly acknowledged. Some private suppliers have been selling fuel at prices as high as ₦1,200 per litre.
The hike has led to widespread condemnation from several organizations, including the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). They argue that the price increase will only add to the economic hardships faced by Nigerians.
NLC President Joe Ajaero criticized the fuel price hike, accusing the government of betraying the labour movement and calling for an immediate reversal of the price increase.
Amid these tensions, many petrol stations in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Kano remained closed, while long queues of vehicles formed overnight at NNPC stations, reflecting the worsening fuel crisis in the country.
