Private fuel depot owners across Nigeria have increased petrol prices to between N1,200 and N1,230 per litre, following the suspension of gantry loading at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The loading halt, which began Wednesday afternoon, has triggered speculative pricing across the downstream sector as operators adjust for potential replacement costs. Market uncertainty persists as the refinery has not issued an official statement regarding the suspension or clarified its recent move to transition from naira-denominated transactions to dollar-based invoicing for fuel products. Industry stakeholders, including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, warn that this shift toward dollar-based pricing will likely drive further increases at the pump. While some analysts view the refinery’s move as a rational step to align revenues with dollar-denominated feedstock costs, others express concern over the potential for market instability and the informal dollarisation of the fuel trade.