Petrol price drop in doubt after Hormuz disruption

The decision by Iran to reclose the Strait of Hormuz has dampened hopes that fuel prices would crash in Nigeria.

The Strait of Hormuz was opened on Friday following a ceasefire deal between Iran and the United States. But barely 24 hours later, Iran reclosed the strait, calling the decision a response to a continued blockade of its ports by the United States.

The Iranian military on Saturday said control of the strategic waterway, through which 20 per cent of globally traded oil transits, had “returned to its previous state”, with reports saying Iranian gunboats fired at a merchant vessel as it attempted to cross.

Fuel marketers had earlier projected that petrol prices could drop from the current N1,250 to about N900 when the strait was opened on Friday.

The spokesman of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Joseph Obele, said on Friday that the prices of crude oil had crashed following the reopening of the strait.

Obele recalled that petrol was around N800 before February 28, when the crisis started, expressing optimism that a sharp reduction should be expected if the development had been sustained.

“With the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Nigerians should expect a very significant reduction in petrol prices. Petrol will fall below N1,000 by next week, probably to N900 per litre. Don’t forget that the product was N800+ before the Middle East crisis. Now that the war is over, we should be expecting a return to that price regime,” he said on Friday.

But on Sunday, Obele told our corresp ondent that the reclosure of the Hormuz had dashed hopes of a price drop projection. Obele said the status quo would remain at the moment, pending when both Iran and the US agree on a lasting ceasefire.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran had violated the ceasefire agreement with the US by attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and he repeated threats to attack Iranian energy infrastructure unless it accepts a deal to end the war.

Our correspondent observed, however, that there has not been a major oil price surge since Saturday when the strait was reclosed by Iran. According to oilprice.com, Brent traded at $90 per barrel on Sunday, up from $88 before the Hormuz Strait reclosure. Recall that Brent was $95 as of Friday morning.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran had violated the ceasefire agreement with the US by attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, as he repeated threats to attack Iranian energy infrastructure unless it accepts a deal to end the war.

“Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — a total violation of our ceasefire agreement!” he posted on Truth Social. “That wasn’t nice, was it?”

“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable deal, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran,” he continued. “No more Mr Nice Guy!” he said.

Trump disclosed that negotiators would arrive on Monday evening in Islamabad, Pakistan, which last weekend hosted direct talks between the two sides, with the current two-week ceasefire set to end on Wednesday.