Following an agreement at a meeting at the senate on Monday by oil sector unions, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and ministry of finance, lifting of fuel will start within six hours.
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has also ordered tanker drivers to start loading fuel immediately.
The country practically stood still economically in the last few days as fuel becomes increasingly unavailable nationwide and prices doubled or tripled in some places.
Petrol, diesel and even kerosene were no longer being sold in 80% of fuel stations across Nigeria, according to reports by our correspondents.
The situation is so critical that motorists are stranded at filling stations for a whole day.
As a result transport fares have shot up sharply – in some places rising by 100% or more.
The oil marketers and the federal government have been at each others throat over subsidy payment.
Details later…