*Consumers have urged the Nigerian Government to find a lasting solution to the lingering fuel scarcity and adverse effects on the national economy

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has stated 鈥渓ow loadouts鈥� at depots are 鈥渧ery likely鈥� to be responsible for the queues observed at petrol stations in Abuja and environs.

Most filling stations in Abuja had been shut down, following scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.

The situation has caused long queues of vehicles at various filling stations in Abuja, FCT.

The petrol supply situation monitored in certain areas of the FCT, including Wuse, Gwarimpa and Kubwa areas of Abuja indicated that long queues had resurfaced with most fueling station not selling to motorists, agency report said.

Mr. Alex Udoh, a private car owner, told NAN that the queue resurfaced on Saturday and all his efforts to buy fuel failed.

Udoh urged government to find a lasting solution to the lingering fuel scarcity because of its adverse effects on the national economy.

The Nigerian urged all relevant authorities to maintain peace and order in filling stations and curb black marketing spots.

鈥淚 do not know the reason for the scarcity again and it is annoying.鈥�

Malam Yakubu Umar, a taxi driver, also said he had been at the petrol station for over five hours waiting to buy the product.

Umar lamented: 鈥淚 bought black market yesterday and I did not make any profit.鈥�

Earlier, none of the filling station operators had responded to enquiries on the sudden scarcity of the product, agency report said.

绿帽献妻 reports Mr. Garba Deen Muhammad, Spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, in a statement issued Sunday, May 8, 2022, however, said purchases by residents who recently returned after the public holidays must have contributed to the current long fuel queues in the FCT.

According to NNPC, loadouts involve the process of moving petroleum product from depots to filling stations.

Meanwhile, the Company said that efforts at addressing the fuel scarcity situation in progress.

Muhammad also stated: 鈥淭he NNPC Ltd notes the sudden appearance of fuel queues in parts of Abuja. “This is very likely due to low loadouts at depots which usually happen during long public holidays, in this case, the Sallah celebrations.”

The NNPC further noted: 鈥淎nother contributing factor to the sudden appearances of queues is the increased fuel purchases which is also usual with returning residents of the FCT from the public holidays.

鈥淣NPC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in conjunction with our marketing partners, have taken necessary measures to ramp up loadouts from all depots.”

Muhammad as well stated: 鈥淲e assure all residents of the FCT, and indeed all Nigerians, that we have ample local supplies and national stock in excess of 2.5 billion liters, with sufficiency of more than 43 days.

鈥淭he NNPC Ltd hereby advises motorists not to engage in panic buying as supplies are adequate as will become increasingly evident in the coming days.”

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