Nigeria’s average retail price for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) decreased to ₦1,027.76 in May 2025—a 17.07% decrease from ₦1,239.33 in April 2025. Although a month-on-month fall, the price is still 33.54% higher than May 2024, when it stood at ₦769.62.
Drawing from the latest data issued by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the nationwide survey captured every one of the 774 local government areas with contributions from over 10,000 petrol outlet respondents. The data collection exercise was led by more than 700 enumerators and overseen under strict quality control.
Sokoto records the highest average price for May PMS of ₦1,100.50, with Zamfara and Anambra recording ₦1,093.21 and ₦1,084.13, respectively. At the bottom of it all is Yobe with the lowest average of ₦950.60, with Rivers and Taraba recording ₦981.67 and ₦983.00 respectively.
The South East geopolitical zone was most affected by the rise in the price of fuel, with a May average of ₦1,049.15, while North Central had the lowest mean price of ₦1,005.42.
State-level comparisons showed Imo State recording the steepest monthly fall in price at 37.81%, from ₦1,588.50 in April to ₦987.86 in May. Sokoto also recorded a steep fall of 29.03%, while Jigawa’s PMS price fell 31.18% within the same period.
Interestingly, Lagos broke ranks with a slim month-on-month increase of 1.17% from ₦1,064.58 to ₦1,077.05, the highest annual increase of 69.13% among all states. Kwara, Osun, and Ondo also recorded modest cost rises in May, suggesting unusualities in local market conditions or supply factors.
