The average retail price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) paid by Nigerian consumers surged by 25.24% year-on-year, rising to N1,758.26 per litre in May 2025, up from N1,403.96 in May 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
This was revealed in the NBS report titled “Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) Price Watch” for May 2025. On a month-on-month basis, the report showed a 2.08% increase, from N1,722.45 in April 2025 to N1,758.26 in May 2025.
The release comes as the NBS also reported a continued decline in Nigeria’s inflation rate. Headline inflation fell to 22.97% in May 2025, marking the second consecutive month of decline, down from 23.71% in April 2025. Year-on-year, the May figure represents a significant drop from 33.95% in May 2024, reflecting a sustained easing of price pressures.
In May 2025, Benue State recorded the highest average diesel price at N2,441.46 per litre, followed by Adamawa State (N2,350.32) and Plateau State (N2,201.52). The lowest average prices were recorded in Ondo State (N1,318.40), Kogi State (N1,360.00), and Anambra State (N1,361.02).
The North-Central zone, comprising seven states and the FCT, paid the highest average price for diesel at N1,920.47 per litre. Other regional averages include the North-West (N1,769.28), North-East (N1,767.21), South-East (N1,632.33), South-South (N1,857.19), and South-West (N1,553.19), which had the lowest regional average.
In April 2025, diesel prices had already seen a significant year-on-year increase of 21.72%, rising from N1,415.06 per litre in April 2024 to N1,722.45 per litre. The top three highest diesel prices in April 2025 were also recorded in Benue (N2,419.30), Adamawa (N2,284.32), and Plateau (N2,205.13)—the same states topping the chart in May. Likewise, the lowest prices were found in Kogi (N1,300.00), Ondo (N1,313.33), and Anambra (N1,359.27)—indicating consistency in diesel pricing patterns across states