The Nigerian government has been warned that the hike in the price of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), popularly called diesel, will worsen inflation in the country.

Mr Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu Depot Community, gave this warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Friday.

Diesel price has skyrocketed in less than two weeks from N400 to N650.

In some parts of Nigeria, it is being sold for N670. Users are crying.

Anyaso described the development as unhealthy, saying the hike portended stiffer hardship for Nigerians.

Diesel is the major source of energy for articulated vehicles. It is also used heavily by industries and hotels largely due to irregular public power supply.

Anyaso said the price hike of most refined petroleum products may not be unconnected with the rise in price of crude in the international market, arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He said the instability in prices was not good for IPMAN members and businesses generally.

“We are worried with the rise in the price of diesel and other petroleum products.

“The development is affecting our members because each time we go to depot to load, we see new price.

“It will certainly lead to general inflation because AGO is the major source of fuel for most transporters and manufacturing concerns across the country,” Anyaso said.

He, therefore, charged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to fix the country’s refineries or build new ones to protect citizens from the harsh effects of fluctuating international crude price.

He regretted that the downstream sector relied completely on importation and feared that there would always be supply problems, should the Russia/Ukraine war persist.

He gave assurance that IPMAN would continue to ensure seamless distribution of available products in the South-East at the prevailing market price

He regretted that the downstream sector relied completely on importation and feared that there would always be supply problems, should the Russia/Ukraine war persist.

He gave assurance that IPMAN would continue to ensure seamless distribution of available products in the South-East at the prevailing market price