Fuel scarcity worsens in Lagos as filling stations shut down

Many motorists, both private and commercial operators, in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, have decried the fuel shortage across the state which has worsened in the last two days.

Daily Trust checks across major filling stations in the state revealed unusually long queues at major filling stations on Lagos Island and Mainland dispensing fuel.

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Findings by Daily Trust showed that many filling stations in the metropolis are experiencing long queues of motorists.

The situation, it was learnt, started on Monday when the queues surfaced in parts of the state.

The fuel scarcity has been further worsened by the poor electricity supply in some parts of the state since last week.

On Tuesday, our correspondent observed unusually long queues along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, and Lagos Airport road.

On the axis of Isheri/Ogunnusi road outward Lagos, the NNPCL filling station near Omole Phase One gate had a long queue of motorists which started in the morning.

Also, there was a rowdy situation at Mobil Filling Station at Agidingbi Ikeja while filling stations along Ikorodu road, Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, were also not dispensing fuel.

Two filling stations along the popular Acme road, Ikeja, also said they had run out of stock when our correspondent visited.

Already, motorists and artisans using fuel on a daily basis are lamenting the situation, appealing to the government to find a solution to the current challenge.

Shola Onifade, a tricycle rider who spoke with our correspondent, said the government should show more concern about the plight of the masses, adding that the fuel situation is affecting a lot of businesses.

Victor, a photographer who spoke with our correspondent at a filling station, said the fuel scarcity has come at the wrong time when there is a power supply disruption.

“This is really affecting me as an entrepreneur because I cannot deliver to my clients on schedule and you know, as they say, customers are kings; I can’t blame my customers,” he said.

As fuel scarcity bites harder, the Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) attributed the supply disruption to the increase in depot price of fuel from N148.17 per litre to N178 per litre since last week.

Chairman of IPMAN, Lagos Depot, Akinrinade Akinade, in a chat with Daily Trust said many IPMAN members were not buying because the private depots had jacked up the retail price.

He said the association had informed the appropriate authorities of the development, warning that the situation might get worse if the authorities failed to intervene today.

Also speaking, chairman of Western Zone, Alhaji Dele Tajudeen, told newsmen yesterday that the only option for members was to opt for private depots to keep their business moving.

“We are totally against the increase because it will affect our profit margins and the masses. Some private depots that have products deliberately refuse to sell for reasons best known to them,” he said.