Operations at MRS fuel stations linked to Dangote Refinery’s downstream network have been disrupted for more than a week following a recent jump in Nigeria’s pump prices, leaving multiple sites in Abuja and surrounding areas short of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). Checks found that supply has been unavailable since July 17, 2026, highlighting how changes in refinery pricing and sales channels are rippling through the retail fuel market.
MRS stations run dry in Abuja as PMS deliveries stall
DAILY POST checks showed that MRS filling stations in Abuja and nearby locations have lacked PMS supply for at least seven days. The disruption began on July 17, 2026, according to the on-the-ground verification.
A manager at one of the stations, who asked not to be named, confirmed the shortage in a call on Friday. He said the station had not received fuel since the previous Thursday, adding that staff were expecting deliveries on Friday after Dangote Refinery’s resumption of gantry sales paid in naira.
Dangote Refinery restarts naira-priced gantry sales
The renewed expectation of supply is tied to Dangote Refinery’s decision to bring back petrol sales on its gantry in naira. The refinery had previously halted these naira-denominated sales on July 15, 2026.
On Thursday, Dangote Refinery restarted the sale of refined petroleum products in naira, pricing petrol at N1,215 per litre. This was an increase from the earlier rate of N1,175 per litre.
Price uncertainty eases, but retail costs continue to rise
The move to resume naira-priced sales was described as easing uncertainty across Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector. Even with the restart, depot owners and fuel marketers have already raised petrol prices multiple times over the past week.
- Retail petrol pricing has been increased at least twice within the last seven days.
- In Abuja, petrol is currently sold at N1,300 per litre in some areas and N1,340 per litre in others.
What the restart could mean for supply and pumps
While the refinery’s naira pricing restart is expected to restore deliveries to stations like MRS, the immediate impact is still being felt by retailers that have been without fuel since mid-July. The station manager’s comment suggested that the next deliveries were anticipated for Friday, following the resumption of Dangote Refinery’s gantry sales in naira.
For consumers, the key takeaway is that even as supply prospects improve, pump prices have already moved up repeatedly in recent days, suggesting that the downstream market is still working through the effects of upstream pricing and scheduling changes.
