Fuel scarcity as stations close in Lagos, Kano, others

Long queues have started surfacing in parts of the country, checks by Daily Trust have shown.

From Lagos, Kano and Abuja, findings by Daily Trust indicated that most filling stations are not dispensing while the few dispensing are experiencing long queues.

In Kano State, commuters have started groaning as commercial transport fares have increased due to the hike in fuel price.

It is, however, observed that signs of fuel scarcity that started a few days ago have become imminent as many filling stations in Kano State have closed down and the pump price in the state has gone up.

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However, few filling stations are dispensing but with long queues. It was gathered that most filling stations within the state metropolis have been totally shut down for businesses with only few operating.

Those dispensing were selling at N640 per litre to N660 as against the initial N615 to N620.

A tricycle operator, Usman Umar said with the recent hike, it is clear that most of them will have to park their tricycles as people can barely afford the transport fares.

“We honestly can’t operate under this situation if it continues, because not everyone can afford to pay the transport fare. As you can see, the traffic has reduced as many people have decided to park their vehicles,” he said.

Aminu Bala, a car owner, claimed that he had since parked his car and had acquired a motorcycle because he cannot continue buying fuel at the current pump price. 

When contacted on the development, Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) Kano, Alhaji Gana Girgir revealed that marketers were forced to close down because of the recent increase in the landing cost of petrol coupled with the hike in diesel.

In Lagos State, our correspondent reports that many major filling stations in Ikeja metropolis were not selling.

“We are currently experiencing a supply disruption across the state. As you can see we have not been selling since the weekend,” a filling station attendant said in Lagos.

Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Ejigbo Satellite Depot, Akin Akinrinade said, “For close to three months now, the main depot that supplies to IPMAN has not been dispensing fuel. You can imagine what will happen to our stations if the major supplier is not working and we cannot approach the private depots because of the price they sell.”

Marketers seek access to fx

Meanwhile, independent oil marketers yesterday asked the federal government to grant its members who are qualified to import fuel access to the official foreign exchange.

The marketers who presented their demand in a meeting organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja said this would allow them compete favourably with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and end its monopoly.

A source, who did not want to be named as he is not authorised to do so, said independent marketers operate at a loss at the current fuel pump price fixed by the federal government.

“NNPC is the only company importing fuel into the country even though the government has given licenses to private companies. NNPC has access to the dollar at the official rate but we don’t as the I&E window is not sufficient to meet the current demand in the country.”

He added that the freight cost is another issue they need to deal with as the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) receive payment in dollars.

Speaking in a briefing at the end of the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, said the meeting was to hear the views of all relevant stakeholders in the oil industry to ensure availability of fuel in the country.