Kerosene price drops slightly across Nigeria, easing to N2,971.94 per litre in May 2026 according to fresh data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The figure marks a modest 0.17% dip from April’s N2,976.94, though households are still paying far more than they did a year ago.
Looking at the year-on-year picture tells a different story. Prices climbed 36.62% compared to N2,175.29 recorded in May 2025, meaning kerosene remains significantly costlier than it was twelve months back, even with this month’s small relief.
Where the Kerosene Price Drops and Where It Doesn’t
The NBS released these figures in its Household Kerosene Price Watch report for May 2026, and the state-by-state breakdown reveals sharp regional differences. Sokoto topped the list with the highest average price at N3,984.09 per litre, followed by Jigawa at N3,824.68 and Taraba at N3,595.64.
Rounding out the top ten priciest states were Kebbi (N3,523.50), Zamfara (N3,415.06), Niger (N3,214.54), Lagos (N3,185.71), Katsina (N3,130.41), Edo (N3,124.94), and Oyo (N3,069.11).
At the other end, Bayelsa recorded the cheapest kerosene nationwide at N2,018.79 per litre. Kogi followed at N2,348.81, then Ekiti at N2,511.31. Kwara, Yobe, Kano, Enugu, Imo, Benue, and Kaduna rounded out the ten most affordable states.
How the Kerosene Price Drops by Gallon and Region
Per gallon, the average price stood at N11,949.39 in May, representing a steeper 10.80% decline from April’s N13,396.23. Yet on a yearly basis, that figure still jumped 40.88% from N8,482.22 recorded in May 2025.
Sokoto again led the gallon rankings at N15,928.39, trailed by Kebbi at N15,855.73 and Niger at N14,465.43. Meanwhile, Bayelsa stayed cheapest at N7,084.56 per gallon, with Ekiti and Kwara also among the lowest.
Regionally, the North-West zone carried the highest average kerosene price at N3,343.12 per litre, followed by the North-East at N3,004.30. The South-South recorded the lowest zonal average at N2,777.76 per litre, while for gallon pricing, the South-East posted the cheapest average at N11,032.42.
The NBS gathered this data from sample outlets spanning all 774 local government areas across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, surveying more than 10,000 respondents in total.
In related energy news, diesel prices also showed movement recently, with the average retail price for Automotive Gas Oil settling at N1,361.57 per litre, according to earlier NBS figures.
For the full statistical breakdown, see the National Bureau of Statistics official reports. Readers can also learn more about kerosene as a household fuel via Wikipedia’s overview of kerosene.
With prices still well above last year’s levels despite the monthly dip, households in northern states continue bearing the heaviest cost burden for this essential cooking and lighting fuel.
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