As the fuel scarcity which hit the country over six weeks ago gradually eases, the high cost of  automotive gas oil (AGO), popularly known as diesel, is now becoming a source of concern to many manufacturers and businesses across the country.

A survey conducted by LEADERSHIP Friday revealed that the price of diesel has increased by more than 60 per cent in most filling stations across the country to as much as N700, up from N450 barely one week ago, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is putting pressure on the price crude oil in the international market, resulting in increase in the landing cost of the commodity.

Diesel is mostly used by businesses, especially manufacturers to power their generators amid a lack of reliable power supply from the national grid. Haulage vehicles transporting goods and people across the country also use diesel.

Findings showed that diesel sold the highest in Osun and Kwara states at N700 per litre.

Investigation by LEADERSHIP Friday across Osun indicated that diesel now sells at an average rate of N700 per litre in fuel stations across the state, except BOVAS filling stations that were selling at N650 per litre.

In Lagos and Abuja, the commodity was sold for N600 and N650 by both major and independent marketers respectively.

In Niger State, independent marketers sold the commodity at N650 per litre as against N450 per litre last week while the major markers sold for N600 as against N400 last week.

Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, are experiencing scarcity of diesel to power their  generators and other machinery.

Our correspondent who monitored sales and availability of diesel in most of the petrol stations in Jos and Bukuru metropolis reports that out of the five petrol stations visited , only one was seen dispensing  the product at N 650.00 per litre.

In Kaduna state, the price of diesel varied  depending on availability and fueling stations.

In some of the independent marketers stations visited within Kaduna metropolis, most of them did not have the product and were not sure of where to get it while those that had sold N615 per litre or less.

In Maiduguri, a litre of diesel is sold for N640. Unlike premium motor spirit (PMS ) which was not readily available, most filling stations in Maiduguri had diesel in stock but at a high cost.

In Màkurdi metropolis,  Benue state, a litre of diesel which was before now sold between N400 and N450 is now sold at N600 and above although the price is not uniform.

However, at Normal Resource Oil located on Modern Market road, a litre of Diesel is sold at N700, while at the next fuel station on the same road, Rain Oil a litre of diesel is being sold at N625 per litre.

Our correspondent in Jigawa state said that there was acute fuel scarcity in the state as only one filling station, the NNPC mega station, had been selling petroleum products in Dutse, the state capital, in the last two weeks.

"In all the three senatorial zones of the state, not a single filling station belonging to a major marketer was open, and the few filling stations dispensing PMS were selling it at a cost of N250 to 270 per litre.

However,  diesel was sold at the cost of N650 to N670 per litre, creating hardship for the people of the state as the cost of transporting goods had risen, consequently affecting the cost of goods and services in the state.

The fuel scarcity has aggravated the economic difficulties in the state by reducing the purchasing power of most households and other people in the state.