The average retail price of diesel in Nigeria jumped by 25.24 percent year-on-year, rising from ₦1,403.96 in May 2024 to ₦1,758.26 per litre in May 2025.
This was revealed in the National Bureau of Statistics’ latest Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) Price Watch report released for May 2025.
According to the NBS, diesel also saw a 2.08 percent month-on-month increase, climbing from ₦1,722.45 in April 2025 to the current average of ₦1,758.26 in May.
Despite the spike in diesel prices, inflation figures showed signs of easing. Nigeria’s headline inflation dropped to 22.97 percent in May 2025, down from 23.71 percent in April, marking the second consecutive monthly decline.
This represents an 10.98 percentage point decrease compared to the 33.95 percent recorded in May 2024.
The NBS diesel price breakdown revealed that Benue State recorded the highest average cost per litre at ₦2,441.46.
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It was followed by Adamawa (₦2,350.32) and Plateau (₦2,201.52). Meanwhile, the states with the lowest diesel prices were Ondo (₦1,318.40), Kogi (₦1,360.00), and Anambra (₦1,361.02).
A regional analysis of the data showed that diesel was most expensive in the North-Central zone, where consumers paid an average of ₦1,920.47 across seven states and the FCT. The South-West, on the other hand, had the lowest zonal average at ₦1,553.19.
Other regional averages include: North-West: ₦1,769.28, North-East: ₦1,767.21, South-East: ₦1,632.33, South-South: ₦1,857.19
In April 2025, diesel had already surged by 21.72 percent year-on-year, going from ₦1,415.06 in April 2024 to ₦1,722.45.
The states with the highest and lowest prices that month mirrored the May data, Benue, Adamawa, and Plateau topped the list, while Kogi, Ondo, and Anambra recorded the cheapest prices.
The trend underscores persistent regional disparities in diesel pricing, with the North-Central zone consistently bearing the highest cost burden.