Fuel Scarcity Hits Nigeria Again, Leads to Price Hike
Barely two weeks after Nigeria witnessed a fuel scarcity, another shortage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known in Nigeria as petrol, has engulfed several states, triggering widespread queues at fuel stations and escalating prices driven by black market activities.
Neusroom can confirm that in Lagos, Ogun, parts of Abuja, Niger, Abia, and other states across Nigeria, many petrol outlets do not have products. Those that do are facing long queues and selling above N850 per liter.
The fuel scarcity, which became apparent with long queues forming at petrol stations in Abuja and Lagos last Friday, has continued despite assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The NNPC stated that the constraints in fuel supply were due to difficulties encountered in the operations of vessels responsible for unloading fuel. Therefore, the shortage persisted despite the NNPC’s efforts to resolve the issue.
“The NNPC Ltd wishes to state that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT is a result of a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels,” explained Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer.
Fuel Scarcity Cause Hike In Price of Petrol
In several parts of Ikeja, including Ogba, attendants in more than three fuel stations told Neusroom they had run out of petrol. As a result, the NNPC fuel station along College Road in Ogba had long queues that caused traffic around the area earlier in the day. Additionally, in the Ipaja area of Lagos, a fuel station was selling for N850 per liter due to the scarcity in the area.
Despite being one of Africa’s largest oil producers, Nigeria faces repeated fuel scarcity. Although a mega refinery built by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is expected to end Nigeria’s dependency on imported petrol, the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery has faced several challenges, prompting Dangote to consider selling the facility.
