Oil marketers have attributed the resurgence of fuel queues at filling stations in several states to the disruption of petroleum product supplies caused by nationwide protests against #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.
According to oil marketers, the interruption in fuel supply was primarily due to the halting of operations by dealers to safeguard their assets amid the ongoing protests.
Two weeks ago, states including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, experienced fuel queues, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) attributed to a “hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.”
While efforts were made to resolve this issue, the protests against hunger and economic hardship that began on August 1, 2024, further disrupted the petrol supply, leading to renewed fuel scarcity in various states.
Chief Chinedu Ukadike, National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), told our correspondent that marketers were advised to close their stations during the protests to avoid asset losses.
He noted that many tankers did not load products during the initial days of the protests, causing a supply chain disruption that led to shortages.
“Although the National President of IPMAN, Abubakar Maigandi, urged independent marketers to continue their operations and called on security agencies to protect our facilities, we were instructed by security agencies to halt the sale of products to manage the situation during the protests,” Ukadike stated.
“The trucks are no longer moving, depots are not working, and truck drivers are not operating due to the protests. This has disrupted the supply of petroleum products, leading to fuel scarcity at filling stations.”
On Friday, The PUNCH reported that the hunger protests halted petrol loading at Lagos depots, exacerbating the fuel scarcity.
Depot owners, fearing violence, refused to open for business despite readiness from members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to support loading operations.
“There were no activities at the Lagos depots on Thursday and Friday for two reasons: the ongoing product scarcity and security concerns due to the protests,” a source explained.
“NUPENG is ready to support loading, but the security situation is a drawback. If the situation improves, loading may resume soon.”
Ukadike expressed hope that the fuel supply situation would gradually improve as some trucks resumed skeletal operations and businesses slowly reopened.
“However, it will take time to fully address the fuel scarcity. The protests disrupted the supply value chain, and we are now experiencing the ripple effects,” he noted.
He called on protesters to end their demonstrations, emphasizing that the President has heard their demands and needs time to address them.
“Let us give the President time to act on these demands. This can only be achieved if the protests stop,” Ukadike urged.
State of Fuel Scarcity Across Nigeria
In Lagos, Abuja, Katsina, Delta, and other states, fuel scarcity persisted on Sunday.
In Warri, Delta State, petrol was sold at N850 to N1,000 per litre, attributed to the non-loading of products at depots by Petroleum Tanker Drivers due to the protests.
In Asaba, Delta State capital, petrol was sold at N1,000 per litre, and queues reappeared at filling stations.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, petrol was sold at N850 to N870 per litre, while in Akwa Ibom, it was sold at N870 to N890 per litre without queues.
In Edo State, few filling stations opened, selling fuel at N800 to N830 per litre, with minimal queues.
In Enugu, petrol prices ranged from N780 to N890 per litre, with black market prices reaching N1,000 per litre.
Kaduna faced a challenging situation as no fuel stations opened on Sunday, leaving motorists stranded. Black marketers sold fuel at N1,000 per litre, exploiting the scarcity.
In Gombe State, black marketers sold petrol at N1,200 per litre, with residents expressing frustration over the escalating prices and scarcity.
Johnson Mamedu, a Gombe resident, remarked, “I bought fuel for N850, and from black marketers, it costs N1,200. I really don’t know where we are going in this country.”
