The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) has called on the Federal Government to compel petroleum marketers to slash fuel prices, insisting there is “no justification” for petrol to remain above N1,000 per litre following the recent drop in global oil prices to pre-conflict levels.
In a statement issued on Friday, the group’s National Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, noted that the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States had de-escalated tensions in the Gulf Region, leading to a significant decline in international crude prices.
“The America-Israel conflict with Iran, which drove petroleum product prices upward, has subsided following the ceasefire. There is therefore no basis for marketers in Nigeria to keep Premium Motor Spirit above N1,000 per litre,” the statement read.
The group condemned the sustained high pump prices as “highly insensitive and inhuman,” accusing marketers of economic sabotage against Nigerians. It argued that petrol and diesel prices—which directly impact living costs—must be reduced to below N1,000 per litre.
MMWG noted that religious bodies had intensively prayed for an end to the Gulf crisis over the past year. “How could these prayers be answered, yet some profiteers continue to prolong the suffering of our people?” it queried.
The group pointed out that reports indicate other nations affected by the war are already benefiting from reduced fuel costs, questioning why Nigeria has yet to follow suit.
To alleviate hardship, MMWG urged the Federal Government to direct marketers to revert to the pre-war price of N700 per litre. It also called on the Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Commission (FCCPC), under the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, to intervene without delay.
“It must be stated that Nigeria’s economic hardship will persist if petroleum marketers are permitted to arbitrarily hike prices without oversight,” the group warned.
The organisation commended the Dangote Group for its leadership in petroleum refining reforms and efforts to ensure fair pricing, but urged the company to “champion the cause of reducing prices to relieve Nigerians of the severe hardship currently being faced.”
