The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency has asked Nigerians to ignore news of a N5 increase in the price of petrol, saying it has not approved any price increase.

The agency, which is authorised to regulate the price of petroleum products in the country, said this in a statement in Abuja today.

Organised labour, the National Association of Nigerian Students and other groups have in recent days criticised the Senate and Federal Government over a plan to increase fuel price and vowed to resist any such attempt.

The criticism came after the Senate Committee on Works in its National Road Fund Establishment Bill, proposed a fuel levy charge that will make motorists to pay N5 tax on every litre of petrol bought at any filling station.

But the PPRA said it did not improve a hike in fuel price.

“The PPPRA has observed the growing speculation on a purported imminent increase in the pump price of PMS by N5 per litre. The agency hereby wishes to dispel this rumour and assuage the concerns of Nigerians,” the agency said in the statement by its Executive Secretary, Abdulkadir Saidu.

“As the agency of government saddled with the responsibility of regulating petroleum products pricing, supply, and distribution, we want to assure the Nigerian public that the subsisting pump price cap for PMS remains N145 per litre across the country and as such, Nigerians should please ignore the speculation on the price increase.”