The Federal Government has officially increased the price of petrol by 8.8 per cent to 185 naira per litre, from 170 naira per litre, with the ex-depot price also shot up from 148 naira per litre to 167 naira.

However, findings show that many filling stations have been selling far above this new price, a situation which may have made the new price almost unrealistic.

In a notice to fuel marketers, the government directed that the new price should take immediate effect.

The development caused further anxiety for motorists who spent hours in fuel queues in search of the product.

By Morris Osumili