The National Economic Council (NEC) yesterday asked its committee to interface with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with a view to determining the correct price of petrol, Daily Trust reports.

The governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, disclosed this to State House reporters after the NEC meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The governor, who said the Group Managing Director of NNPC briefed the council on the current fuel scarcity, stated that the committee would consider fuel prices in neighbouring countries.

He said: “That committee has been charged with the responsibility of interfacing with NNPC with a view to determining the correct price for PMS considering the price of the product in especially countries that are bordering Nigeria, because that is one of the reasons that encourage smuggling of the products to these areas.”

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, said the federal government had no immediate plans to hike the price of petrol. “We are not expecting any upward review of the price at this point,” Akande said.