Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has disclosed that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will begin releasing daily updates of its aviation fuel prices as part of efforts to improve transparency in the sector.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, the regulator’s Director of Public Affairs, George Ene-Ita, said the move is expected to support regulatory oversight and help reduce operational cost pressures facing airline operators.
He explained that despite the deregulated nature of petroleum pricing, consistent publication of aviation turbine kerosene (ATK) prices by the refinery would enhance monitoring and ensure marketers comply with expected standards during nationwide inspections.
Ene-Ita noted that the refinery’s decision to disclose its indicative gantry prices on a daily basis would make it easier for the agency to track pricing trends and enforce compliance across the industry.
He added that the initiative is also a supportive measure aimed at stabilising the aviation sector by easing the burden of high fuel costs, which have posed challenges to airline operations in recent months.
The regulator further stated that its pricing benchmarks are derived from Platts averages recorded between April 17 and 23, while cautioning that fluctuations in global oil markets — driven by geopolitical tensions such as the standoff involving the United States and Iran — could still influence final prices.
The development follows recent concerns by Nigerian airline operators over the sharp rise in aviation fuel costs, which at one point surged from about ₦900 per litre in late February to over ₦3,000 per litre, prompting threats of a shutdown before a resolution was reached.
Subsequently, a federal government committee comprising the regulator, airline operators, and oil marketers recommended price bands for aviation fuel, placing it between ₦1,760 and ₦1,988 per litre in Lagos, and ₦1,809 to ₦2,037 per litre in Abuja, based on prevailing international benchmarks.
Reports indicate that the Dangote refinery has since pegged its ex-gantry price for aviation fuel at approximately ₦1,820 per litre.
