The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said the price of Premium Motor Spirit (popularly known as fuel or petrol) would continue to increase as long as the United States Dollar rose in the foreign exchange market.
Reacting to speculation of further fuel pump hikes, IPMAN National Chairman, Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo told newsme that fuel price would keep soaring if the dollar keeps rising in the foreign exchange market.
He said: “Nigerians should understand that with fuel subsidy removal, the government is no longer determining pump prices but the market forces. The product is bought in dollars. The dollar is around 890/$1 now. As the dollar climbs, fuel pump prices will continue to go up”.
As a solution, he urged the government to double up efforts to make Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) available for Nigerians.
Naira dropped further to the dollar. It exchanged at N782.38/$1 on Wednesday at the official market. But, at the parallel market dollar is enchanted at N910/$1.
Consequently, the pump price of the product is expected to exceed N617/per litre.
Three weeks ago, fuel marketers increased the fuel pump price from N539/per litre to over N600/per litre.
