Nigerians are in serious trouble as the premium motor spirit price rose to N1,400 per liter and Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) to N1,750 after Dangote Refinery hiked its gantry fuel price to N1,175 per liter for petrol and N1,620 per liter on Monday.

DAILY POST reports that while the fuel price keeps rising, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has kept mum and done nothing to ameliorate the surge.

Presidency keeps mum

When DAILY POST reporter contacted presidential spokesperson, Sunday Dare for a response on the burgeoning fuel price, he did not reply as of the time of filing the report.

Checks by DAILY POST on Monday evening showed that Ranoil, Empire, and other filling stations in Abuja and environs have immediately raised their petrol and diesel prices to between N1,350 and N1,400 per liter, respectively.

Diesel price hits N1,750 per litre

For diesel, the price may have to go up as high as N1,750 per liter in filling stations in Abuja, up from around N1,365 per liter.

Meanwhile, MRS filling station sells fuel at N1,200 per litre.

A manager at an MRS filling station in Abuja, who preferred anonymity, told DAILY POST that its fuel price would rise to N1200 per liter from Tuesday 10th March, 2026, up from N1,092 per liter.

“From tomorrow (Tuesday) we will start selling fuel at N1200 per liter. We did not have petrol on Monday,” he told DAILY POST.

DAILY POST reports that the price of petrol has risen by N525 per liter at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited retail outlets and other filling stations before the Iran-United States-Israel war escalated on February 28, 2026.

This comes as Dangote Refinery hiked its gantry price by N376 per liter in the last ten days to N1,175 per liter as of Monday evening.

The refinery attributed the gantry price hike on Monday to global crude price volatility.

DAILY POST reports that Brent crude surged by 6.76 on a day-to-day basis to $98.86 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped to $88.11 per barrel after an indication emerged that United States President Donald hinted at a plan to end hostility with Iran.

Trump hints at possible end to War as WTI crude price drops

Speaking with CBN news, Trump said “I think the war is very complete, pretty much”, and said the US was “very far ahead of schedule”.

His comment has made WTI crude plunge below 90 per barrel on Monday, the first decline since the conflict in the Gulf region escalated, creating anxiety in the Strait of Hormuz waterway and shutting down refineries in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Effect of transport fare hike on Nigerians

Several transporters in Abuja confirmed to DAILY POST a transportation fare hike as a ripple effect of Dangote Refinery’s price adjustment to N1,175 and petrol retail price to a maximum of N1,400 per liter and diesel at N1,750 per liter.

Adamu Abubakar, a taxi driver plying the Deidei to Area 1 route, said he has raised his price to N1,500 per trip from N1,200.

“It is our passengers that would take the brunt of the fuel price hike,” he told DAILY POST.

Constance Onuoha, a passenger in Abuja, confirmed the transportation fare hike.

“The government needs to intervene to prevent the fare hike due to the fuel price increment from getting out of hand,” she said.

DAILY POST reports that the hikes may also impact manufacturers, as the diesel price hike may trigger a product price hike in the coming days.

Fuel, diesel, may hit N2,000 or N3,000 per liter — PETROAN

Speaking on the development, the national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said the petrol and diesel prices may surge to N2,000 and N3,000 per liter if nothing was done.

He said, “We have a Naira-for-crude deal in place. However, the policy does not impact the crude oil price on the international crude oil market.

“The policy is only saving the dollar because the volatility of the currency is dependent on imports. Dangote has increased the petrol gantry price thrice due to the market realities.

“This is why we have urged the regulators to work towards a price stability programme without regulating price,” he told DAILY POST.

Petroleum Marketers speak, explain only benefit of Dangote Refinery to Nigerians

On his part, Chinedu Ukadike, spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Suppliers Association (NOGASA), told DAILY POST exclusively that marketers would sell petrol at the price they bought from Dangote Refinery and depot owners.

“Well, we are independent marketers. Whatever we sell, we buy from Dangote Refinery and depot owners.

“The only benefit of Dangote Refinery is that there will be supply, no fuel scarcity.

“Instead of getting it at N1,200 per liter, you will be getting it at N1,800 per liter because the commodity would have been scarce,”

A financial advisor and educator, Kalu Aja, has said that the removal of the petrol subsidy would remain a strategic mistake if the savings are not directed toward critical sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare and human services.

Aja made the remark in a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday while reacting to concerns over mounting pressure on federal finances and rising debt servicing costs.

According to him, the decision to remove the subsidy would only make sense if the proceeds were transparently invested in projects that directly benefit citizens.

He alleged that the funds saved from the removal of the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, subsidy were not being used for such purposes.

Aja accused government officials of using public resources to sustain what he described as a “fake lifestyle.”

He wrote: “The removal of the PMS subsidy remains a strategic mistake if the proceeds did not go to infrastructure, health and human service

“They removed the PMS subsidy to fund the fake lifestyle they enjoy in government.

“They are using the government to subsidise their fake lifestyle.”

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday admitted an AK-47 rifle and several naira notes as exhibits in the ongoing trial of suspects linked to the June 13, 2025, attack on Yelwata village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted the rifle as Exhibit A after the first prosecution witness, Moses Paul, a senior officer of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Response Unit, identified the firearm in court.

The accompanying naira notes found in the rifle were admitted as Exhibits C1 to C5, while a ballistic report confirming the weapon’s status was admitted as Exhibit B.

The Federal Government had on February 2 arraigned nine men on 57 counts of terrorism over their alleged involvement in the attack, which reportedly claimed about 150 lives.

The defendants are Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed and Bako Jibrin. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Continuing his evidence-in-chief under questioning by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness told the court that police investigation traced the crisis to the enforcement of the Benue State anti-grazing law.

According to him, the third defendant, Abdullahi, complained that his cattle and children were killed and allegedly vowed to organise a revenge attack after refusing a police invitation to resolve the dispute.

The witness further testified that the second defendant, Saidu, claimed that more than 150 cows and two of his children were killed near Yelwata and that he subsequently bought an AK-47 rifle for N1m from a man identified as Musa.

He said the investigation revealed that several community leaders, including the defendants, later held meetings in Nasarawa State, where the first defendant, Dono, allegedly directed Fulani leaders, known as Ardos, to organise and fund a coordinated attack.

Paul said Saidu later convened another meeting at his palace, where participants debated possible targets before eventually settling on Yelwata, Daudu and Udeyi, with Yelwata becoming the primary target.

He added that Abdullahi allegedly contributed N300,000 towards the operation, while Musa Mohammed contributed N200,000.

According to the witness, Abdullahi allegedly led the attack, while Saidu confessed to participating alongside five of his children, who were armed with AK-47 rifles and are still at large. He told investigators that he personally killed eight people during the assault.

Paul told the court that during the investigation, police recovered one AK-47 rifle from Saidu.

While displaying the weapon in court, he said, “The rifle has some naira notes in between because it is their belief that if you put money in an AK-47, it will answer.”

After the rifle was tendered, two defence lawyers reserved their objections while others raised none. The court subsequently admitted the firearm and the naira notes into evidence.

The witness said the rifle was later subjected to ballistic examination, and a report confirming that the weapon was recently used and functional was obtained.

However, counsel to the first defendant, Ibrahim Angulu, objected to the admissibility of the ballistic report, arguing that the witness was not the maker of the document and that it required certification as a public document.

Counsel to the second defendant aligned with the objection, while other defence lawyers reserved theirs.

In response, Oyedepo argued that the report was the original document submitted to the witness’s office during the investigation and therefore required no additional certification. After hearing both sides, the court admitted the ballistic report as evidence.

The witness also testified that Musa Mohammed, a brother of the third defendant, attended one of the planning meetings and contributed financially to the attack.

He further alleged that the eighth defendant, Shaibu Ibrahim, attended the meeting but refused to provide information to the police despite warnings.

“If the seventh and eighth defendants had given that information to the police, the police would have actively investigated, apprehended and prosecuted offenders, and could have prevented the attack,” the witness told the court.

Following the testimony, the prosecution sought to tender several statements allegedly made by the defendants during the investigation.

However, defence lawyers objected, claiming the statements were obtained under duress and in the absence of legal representation.

Justice Abdulmalik consequently ordered a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the statements and adjourned proceedings to March 13.

Earlier, defence counsel had accused the police of intimidating the defendants in custody and attempting to force them to make additional statements.

Angulu told the court that the first defendant complained that police officers had visited him repeatedly in custody over the past eight months to pressure him about the case.

Responding, Oyedepo denied any attempt to intimidate the defendants, stating that investigations had already been concluded. He added that officers might have visited the correctional centre only to retrieve mobile phones allegedly taken there by the defendants.

Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has called on two federal lawmakers, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, to vacate their seats in the National Assembly following their recent defections to other political parties.

The party maintained that both legislators secured their mandates under the APGA platform and should therefore step down after moving to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Labour Party, LP, respectively.

Speaking during a press briefing in Aba, the party’s Publicity Secretary in Abia State, Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, said the lawmakers’ exit did not come as a surprise to the party leadership.

Nwokoro stated that their departure had instead freed the party from what he described as political limitations that had previously affected its progress.

“The actions of these individuals were not unexpected. In fact, their departure is a welcome development that will help reposition and strengthen APGA in Abia State,” he said.

He insisted that since the two lawmakers were elected under APGA, it would be appropriate for them to vacate their positions in the National Assembly.

According to him, the mandates were secured through the party’s platform, and it would be morally right for the defectors to relinquish the seats.

“Those positions were obtained on the strength of APGA’s platform, and it is only proper that they step aside after leaving the party,” Nwokoro added.

While acknowledging that political defections are a common feature of Nigeria’s democratic system, APGA stressed that the development would not weaken the party’s standing in the state.

The party also alleged that Abaribe and Ikwechegh contributed little to its growth in Abia State during their time within the party, accusing them of undermining its progress.

According to Nwokoro, the experience has provided valuable lessons for the party, which he said would no longer allow opportunistic politicians to exploit its platform.

He assured party members and supporters that APGA would emerge stronger as preparations begin for the 2027 general elections.

Nwokoro further noted that the party, under the leadership of its Abia State chairman, Sunday Onukwubiri, has already begun efforts to reposition itself for better performance in the next electoral cycle.

He also urged individuals interested in contesting elections on APGA’s platform in 2027 to join the party early, stressing that it would no longer serve as a fallback option for politicians seeking last-minute tickets.

“APGA remains a formidable political force in Abia State, and we will not be distracted as we prepare for the 2027 elections,” he said.

Oyo State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has warned the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against allowing political tensions to escalate into violence in the state.

The caution follows reports of an attack on the residence of a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarumi, on Saturday during the PDP’s congress activities.

In a statement issued on Sunday and made available to journalists, the state chairman of the SDP, Michael Okunlade, stressed the need to preserve Oyo State’s long-standing reputation as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria, particularly as the country moves closer to the next general elections.

Okunlade said the party became aware of the alleged violence through media reports circulating on radio and social media on Saturday.

He urged political parties in the state to focus their campaigns on issues that affect the people rather than resorting to confrontations.

“As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, we call on all political parties in Oyo State to centre their campaigns on meaningful discussions and policies that will benefit the people,” he said.

The SDP chairman warned the PDP against actions that could destabilise the state’s peaceful atmosphere, noting that political activities ahead of the elections should be conducted responsibly and with consideration for public safety.

“We caution the PDP against turning the state into a battleground in the run-up to the 2027 elections. The party should coordinate its activities in the best interest of residents,” he said.

He also called on the police and other security agencies to remain vigilant and prevent influential political actors from using their positions to provoke unrest.

According to him, law enforcement authorities must closely monitor the activities of political groups in the state, especially as the next general elections approach.

Okunlade further reaffirmed the SDP’s commitment to maintaining peace and unity among its supporters, urging party members to remain disciplined and focused as the party prepares for the 2027 political contest.

He emphasized that acts of indiscipline within the party would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Residents and youth groups in Boripe local government council area of Osun State have expressed frustration over prolonged electricity outages, as the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, attributed the situation to reduced power supply from the national grid.

The Nigerian Youth Congress, Boripe chapter, said the persistent blackout had negatively affected homes, businesses and educational activities in the area.

In a statement issued in Osogbo, the group’s coordinator, Hammed Oyetunji, said communities within the local government had endured weeks of unstable power supply.

According to him, “the absence of electricity has disrupted economic activities and daily life for residents.

“For weeks, our communities have been subjected to prolonged blackout, causing serious hardship to residents, business owners, students and artisans.”

He added that electricity remained a critical factor in economic growth and public safety, stressing that its absence had slowed business activities across the local government.

Oyetunji also noted that many small-scale entrepreneurs had resorted to alternative sources of energy to keep their businesses running.

“Small businesses are incurring additional costs through alternative power sources, while students preparing for examinations are struggling to study effectively at night,” he stated.

He said the blackout had placed additional financial pressure on many households.

The youth leader called on IBEDC to provide a clear explanation for the prolonged outages and urgently restore stable electricity to the affected communities.

Residents had last week taken their grievances to the regional office of the distribution company in Osogbo, where they staged a protest over the power situation.

Demonstrators were seen chanting solidarity songs while demanding improved electricity supply to their communities.

Security personnel were deployed around the office during the protest to maintain order as tensions rose.

The protesters also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the distribution company to restore their communities to Band A electricity classification.

They warned that failure to address the situation could lead to further lawful collective actions against the company’s operations within the communities.

Responding to the concerns, IBEDC said the supply challenges were linked to reduced generation and instability in the national grid.

In a statement by the IBEDC management, the company explained that gas supply shortages to power generation plants had significantly lowered electricity generation across the country.

“Gas supply shortages to electricity generation plants have significantly reduced generation capacity nationwide, forcing distribution companies to implement increased load shedding,” the company said.

IBEDC added that electricity demand within its franchise areas had increased, particularly following the introduction of additional Band A feeders.

It stated that the energy allocated to the company from the national grid had remained inconsistent, creating a gap between electricity demand and available supply.

The company apologised to customers affected by the outages and said it was working with stakeholders across the electricity value chain to improve supply stability.

“We understand the frustration this situation has created among our customers and sincerely apologise for the disruption to homes, businesses and economic activities,” the company said.

There was pandemonium at the Federal Secretariat Monday morning as fire engulfed part its building.

DAILY POST gathered that the fire engulfed the Head of Civil Service Office of the Secretariat.

The incident diverted vehicular movement from the Federal Court of Appeal area.

At the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Details shortly…

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has raised concerns over an alleged plan by certain officials within the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, to spend close to N20 billion on electricity grid expansion projects.

The labour union claimed that the proposed expenditure, reportedly being pursued under the label of “emergency refurbishment,” appears to be a scheme aimed at diverting funds from the financially strained power utility.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the union warned that the planned spending poses a serious threat to the organisation’s financial stability.

Ajaero alleged that a group operating within TCN was attempting to use the justification of an “emergency” to sidestep standard procurement procedures and conceal questionable transactions within complex documentation.

He cautioned that if the procurement plans go ahead, the financial health of TCN could deteriorate further, potentially undermining its ability to operate effectively for many years.

According to the NLC leader, the national grid could remain in a perpetual state of crisis, not because of a lack of technical capacity, but due to the diversion of funds intended to improve infrastructure.

Providing examples of what he described as questionable spending proposals, Ajaero claimed that N191 million had been earmarked for erosion control work on Tower T89 in Ihovbor, Okada.

He also pointed to a proposed expenditure of N290.65 million for fencing and drainage work at the Biu 132/33KV substation.

He cited a planned allocation of N226.02 million for work on Tower T27 in the Etsako–Okpella–Ajaokuta axis, describing such figures as inconsistent with the principles of prudent financial management.

The NLC further alleged that there were plans to procure specialised transformers and switchgear in separate batches from the same supplier at progressively higher prices.

Ajaero argued that such arrangements suggested irregularities in the procurement process, describing them as an attempt to channel funds through inflated contracts rather than legitimate infrastructure upgrades.

He also accused officials of planning to stockpile consumable materials such as insulators, conductors and clamps at prices significantly above market rates, allegedly under the pretext of preparing for potential grid failures.

The NLC president therefore called on the Minister of Power to suspend all ongoing “emergency” procurement activities within TCN pending the outcome of a comprehensive forensic audit.

He also urged the minister to investigate the reported sale of land located behind the TCN substation in Katampe, Abuja.

In addition, Ajaero requested a review of an alleged attempt to promote a staff member employed on September 16, 2021, to the position of Assistant General Manager by 2026, which he said violates the company’s established promotion guidelines.