The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has reaffirmed that the nation’s petroleum market remains fully deregulated, stressing that fuel prices are now largely determined by prevailing market forces.
Speaking in Sokoto, the State Coordinator of NMDPRA, Mr. Ali Ajmi, said the authority had not received any directive from its national headquarters fixing a uniform pump price for Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol, for marketers across the country.
Ajmi explained that under the deregulated market framework, petroleum marketers are expected to independently source products and sell them based on prevailing economic realities, transportation costs, supply dynamics and other market considerations.
“As it stands today, the market is deregulated and prices are determined by market forces. Companies are expected to source products and sell according to market realities.
“We have not received any written approval or directive from our headquarters specifying how much marketers should sell petrol,” he stated.
Despite concerns over rising fuel costs in parts of the country, the NMDPRA coordinator maintained that Sokoto and neighbouring areas remain relatively competitive compared to several locations outside the region, where pump prices are significantly higher.
According to him, petrol prices in the area currently range between ₦1,000 and ₦1,200, adding that the authority has continued to engage marketers to ensure affordability and prevent arbitrary price increases.
“We are doing very well when compared with some other parts of the country. We are also intensifying engagements with marketers to see how prices can be moderated further in the interest of consumers,” Ajmi said.
He attributed part of the pricing challenge in the North West to logistics constraints, explaining that the long distance between coastal depots and inland states such as Sokoto significantly impacts distribution costs and delivery timelines.
Ajmi disclosed that petroleum products loaded from coastal depots often take several days to reach Sokoto due to transportation challenges and road conditions, a situation he said inevitably affects operational costs across the supply chain.
“Because of the nature of the roads and the distance between Sokoto and the coastal depots, products loaded today may not arrive here until about 10 days later.
“Therefore, what we monitor today are often products that were loaded more than a week ago,” he explained.
The NMDPRA coordinator further said the authority maintains constant engagement with marketers through inspections, consultations and stakeholder meetings aimed at finding practical solutions to supply and pricing concerns.
“Engagement is not a one-off activity. Whenever we conduct inspections, that is part of the engagement process.
“We also regularly invite marketers and their representatives for discussions on possible ways of improving supply and reducing costs. These engagements are continuous,” he said.
On consumer protection, Ajmi warned filling stations against under-dispensing petroleum products, assuring Nigerians that the authority has strengthened surveillance mechanisms and would not hesitate to sanction any operator found violating regulatory standards.
He urged members of the public to promptly report any filling station suspected of dispensing below approved volumes or selling substandard products, noting that NMDPRA inspection teams are equipped with calibrated measuring devices and quality testing kits to verify complaints at any time.
“If consumers discover any station dispensing below the approved quantity or suspect poor product quality, they should immediately alert us.
“We have the equipment, the personnel and the mandate to respond promptly. Our teams operate daily and can even carry out inspections at night when necessary,” he said.
The state coordinator also disclosed that NMDPRA is working closely with the Sokoto State Ministries of Energy, Commerce and Industry, and other relevant stakeholders, to strengthen consumer protection and improve regulatory compliance.
He described the collaboration as productive and essential to ensuring transparency, market stability and public confidence in Nigeria’s evolving downstream petroleum sector.