Abuja and five other states experienced a resurgence of fuel scarcity, resulting in the closure of numerous filling stations and lengthy queues at the few remaining outlets supplying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
The scarcity left thousands of commuters stranded at bus stops in the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Niger, Gombe, Sokoto, and Anambra states, as transporters struggled to find sufficient PMS for their vehicles. As a result, transport fares skyrocketed in the affected states due to the limited availability of petrol.
The scarcity was attributed to a shortage of PMS supply to the nation’s capital and other affected states, leading to the closure of filling stations in those areas. Oil marketers expressed their concern and announced plans to meet with the management of the retail subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to investigate the cause of the shortage and seek solutions.
The situation prompted hundreds of motorists to flock to Conoil and Total filling stations situated in front of the corporate headquarters of the NNPC in Abuja, causing heavy traffic in the Central Business District. Similarly, several filling stations in Zuba, Niger State, including NNPC and AYM Shafa, remained closed due to the lack of petrol. The scarcity also affected filling stations along the Kubwa-Zuba expressway and in Nyanya, Nasarawa State.
Oil marketers acknowledged the supply shortage, assuring the public that the matter was under investigation and would be discussed during the upcoming meeting with NNPC officials. They emphasized that the shortage was the reason behind the long queues witnessed at the few operational filling stations.
Meanwhile, commuters in Anambra State faced significant challenges as petrol stations across major cities like Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Umunze, and Ekwulobia remained closed, leading to a scarcity of transportation vehicles. Consequently, transportation fares rose by over 200%, causing many commuters to resort to trekking or waiting for extended periods at bus stops. The reasons behind the closure of petrol stations in the state remained uncertain, generating mixed opinions among the public.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Anthony Ifeanya, sought to assure commuters and motorists that there was no cause for alarm. He explained that the closure of petrol stations was often a result of meetings held by petrol marketers to ensure attendance and that the situation would normalize once the meetings concluded.
In Lagos, long queues formed at various filling stations, with the NNPC station along Cele expressway attracting significant crowds due to its lower pump price of N585 per liter. However, the AP filling station at Barracks and Jezco filling station at Oja-Oba were not selling petrol, while the Northwest filling station along the Gbagada expressway experienced heavy queues with a pump price of N610 per liter. The NNPC filling station along the Ogudu expressway also witnessed a surge in queues, offering petrol at N585 per liter.
In Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, residents faced higher fuel prices, ranging between N650 and N710 per liter. Many filling stations were not selling fuel, but independent stations that were operational charged prices between N660 and N710 per liter.
The fuel scarcity and subsequent challenges faced by commuters and motorists have raised concerns, with hopes pinned on future solutions such as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the potential production of refined petroleum products by the Port Harcourt Refining Company.
