The persistent petrol scarcity in Lagos and Ogun states has created a profitable market for black marketers, who are exploiting the situation to sell fuel at inflated prices. Residents in these areas are experiencing long queues at petrol stations, with some stations running out of fuel, exacerbating the shortage.
Black market sellers have been charging double or triple the official pump price, significantly increasing the financial burden on commuters, businesses, and households.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) attributed the supply and distribution issues to problems with the discharge operations of several vessels. Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s chief corporate communications officer, stated, “The NNPC clarifies that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution observed in parts of Lagos and the FCT is due to a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.”
NNPC assured the public that it is working with stakeholders to resolve the situation and restore normal operations.
Despite these assurances, the situation worsened over the weekend, with extensive queues reported at filling stations nationwide by Sunday. In Lagos, only one of three NNPC outlets on Ogunnusi Road in Ojodu Berger was dispensing fuel. Similarly, only two stations—Mobil Oil at Alausa Secretariat and Heyden at Alapere—had petrol available between the Berger and Anthony Oke bus stops.
In Ogun State’s border towns of Alagbole and Akute, the sole NNPC outlet struggled to meet the demand of a long line of vehicles. NNPC stations in Lagos and Ogun maintained prices at N568 and N580 per litre, respectively, while independent marketers sold petrol for as much as N900 per litre.
At AMUF Oil in Ojodu, petrol was priced at N850 per litre, reflecting the steep increases due to the shortage. Black market operators took advantage of the scarcity, selling petrol for N1,500 per litre at Mobil station in Ikeja and N1,800 per litre in Ojota.
The crisis has forced many private vehicle owners to stay home, leaving commuters stranded at bus stops, while the few operating commercial buses have raised fares by up to 150 percent.
Mohammed Shuaibu, Secretary of the Abuja/Suleja chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), confirmed the scarcity and noted that some stations might not have fuel due to unavailability, while others were closing to avoid potential losses from a proposed protest.
“I am in Lokoja (Kogi State) and many filling stations are not dispensing petrol. This is concerning as we recently recovered from fuel queues in major cities, primarily due to a drop in supply from NNPC,” Shuaibu said.
Clement Isong, Executive Secretary of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), attributed the crisis to supply issues from the high seas, noting that the disruption in loading operations began last Wednesday due to a product shortage. However, Isong assured that efforts were underway to resolve the supply chain disruptions.
Credit: Businessday NG (Text Excluding Headline)
