Diesel recorded the sharpest increase among Nigeria’s major petroleum products, rising by 86.4 per cent over the past year, according to the latest fuel price data.
The average retail price of diesel increased from N1,758.84 per litre in May 2025 to N3,277.47 per litre in May 2026. On a month-on-month basis, the product also recorded the largest increase, climbing by 32.44 per cent from N2,474.69 per litre in April 2026.
The sharp rise in diesel prices remains significant because the product is widely used by manufacturers, industries, commercial transport operators and businesses that rely on self-generated electricity. As a result, higher diesel costs continue to drive up production and transportation expenses across the economy.
Petrol and household kerosene also remained considerably more expensive than they were a year earlier, highlighting the sustained pressure on household spending and business operating costs.
State-by-state data revealed significant variations in fuel prices across the country.
For diesel, Nasarawa recorded the highest average retail price at N3,785.84 per litre, followed by Plateau at N3,576.40 and Ebonyi at N3,574.75. The lowest average prices were recorded in Kogi at N2,823.85 per litre, Benue at N2,961.33 and Kebbi at N3,016.14.
Petrol was most expensive in Edo, where consumers paid an average of N1,722.91 per litre. Bauchi followed at N1,715.47, while Benue recorded N1,698.57. The lowest average petrol prices were recorded in Adamawa at N1,469.83 per litre, followed by Katsina at N1,470.63 and Sokoto at N1,489.33.
Household kerosene was most expensive in Sokoto, where the average retail price reached N3,984.09 per litre. Jigawa followed with N3,824.68, while Taraba recorded N3,595.64. Bayelsa had the lowest average price at N2,018.79 per litre, followed by Kogi at N2,348.81 and Ekiti at N2,511.31.
Regional analysis also showed notable differences in fuel costs across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The North-West recorded the highest average diesel price at N3,313.60 per litre, while the South-West posted the lowest zonal average at N3,227.55.
For petrol, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,623.84 per litre, while the North-West had the lowest average at N1,564.11.
Similarly, the North-West emerged as the most expensive zone for household kerosene, with an average retail price of N3,343.12 per litre. It was followed by the North-East at N3,004.30, while the South-South recorded the lowest zonal average at N2,777.76 per litre.
The latest figures underscore the continued rise in energy costs across Nigeria, with diesel remaining the fastest-rising fuel product and a major contributor to increasing business and household expenses.