*The resurgence of fuel queues in some major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, and other cities in Nigeria, has got several commuters stranded at bus stops coupled with higher transportation costs amid extant high inflation in the West African country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Following the resurgence of fuel queues in some major cities in Nigeria, several commuters Monday, August 19, 2024, got stranded as they were unable to reach their workplaces and offices on time in Lagos, Abuja, FCT, and other cities in the West African country.

绿帽献妻 reports that in some areas of the Lagos State, the commercial nerve centre of the country, several motorists were spotted in the queues that snaked into the streets, particularly in Ikeja, Agege, Lagos Mainland, Iju-Ishaga, and Ojota areas, as the development caused gridlock around the filling stations that were selling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol Monday morning.

Fuel queues in Abuja

It was also gathered that a litre of the product sells for between N800 and N1,000 in some filling stations, a move that has resulted in an increase in the cost of transportation.

However, some of the commuters who spoke with this publication on the current fuel situation Monday morning, who were confused, and completely unaware of the reason behind the sudden higher transportation costs in the metropolitan state, rather blamed the situation on the motorists.

Still, in other areas of the Lagos State, some filling stations Monday, were not selling the product while black marketers had taken advantage of the situation to do brisk business.

Reports also indicate the resurgent fuel scarcity situation is not limited to Lagos, as some states in the Northern region of Nigeria have experienced persistent scarcity of the product.

On alleged oil marketers鈥� hoarding of petroleum products

In direct response towards addressing the situation across the country, the Federal Government through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) reportedly threatened to withdraw licences of any filling stations hoarding fuel.

The regulatory agency in a statement via its X account said: 鈥淣MDPRA embarks on a war against the illegal sale of petroleum products, especially PMS in jerrycans.

鈥淔illing stations are advised to desist from servicing illegal peddlers; failure to do so would result in the suspension of retail licences.鈥�

It is also recalled that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) July this year, had blamed fuel scarcity on a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.

NNPCL: 鈥楾ightness鈥� in petroleum supply and distribution chain still the case?

Against the backdrop of resurfacing fuel queues in especially the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and neighbouring states, including Nasarawa and Niger states, the NNPCL had explained that the situation resulted from 鈥渢ightness鈥� in petroleum supply and distribution chain being encountered in parts of Lagos and the FCT.

The NNPCL disclosed the tightness in fuel supply and distribution chain is caused by a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer at NNPC Limited, noted this development in a statement late July 2024, in response to the current fuel queues and relative scarcity being witnessed in certain parts of Lagos and the FCT.

Soneye stated: 鈥淭he NNPC Limited wishes to state that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT is as a result of a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.鈥�

He said the Company was working round the clock with all stakeholders to resolve the situation and restore normalcy in the operations.

鈥淪imilarly, the development was compounded by consequential flooding of truck routes, which has constrained the movement of PMS from the coastal corridors to the Federal Capital, Abuja,鈥� stated he.

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