EKO NEWS

Long Queues As Fuel Scarcity Hits Lagos Metropolis

Published

3 years ago

Jun 20, 2022.

A.A.S Opeyemi

Fuel scarcity hits Lagos metropolis
…investigation across the metropolis revealed that the few stations that sold fuel restricted it to two or three pumps.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that more filling stations blocked their pumps to motorists yesterday, causing a worsening of the fuel shortage in Lagos.

Long queues formed outside the few gas stations scattered throughout the city.

Following weeks of scarcity in Abuja, early indicators of the commodity’s scarcity arose last Wednesday.

According to investigation across the city, the few stations that offered petrol only had two or three pumps.

Unless authorities take steps to narrow the demand-supply mismatch, scarcity may grow today.

Last night, however, there were no signs that the crisis would not persist or deteriorate in the coming week.

Filling stations operated by large marketers were closed between Ojota and Ikorodu, while a few run by independent marketers were distributing fuel at somewhat higher than the N165 per litre standard.

The hike hasn’t been officially reflected on their pumps.

Findings revealed that most of the filling stations that locked their doors to vehicles did so to stockpile the product in anticipation of a probable price hike.

It was gathered that retail outlets have been finding it difficult to obtain gasoline for some time due to its high cost.

Trucks have been finding it difficult to load the product around the city in recent days, according to a station manager at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) filling station in Lagos, who requested anonymity.

He attributed the scarcity to the high cost of diesel, which is required to transport gasoline and also to power generators that keep filling stations working in the absence of electricity.

“We had some difficulty loading petrol for some days. The depots are keen to increase the price of the commodity, owing to some factors. But there is a strong resistance from the government.

“I am aware that critical stakeholders are working round the clock to ensure that no increase or scarcity happens. You know government would not want to do anything that will cause dislocation in the country, especially now that elections are drawing nearer.”

Contacted last night, the National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mike Osatuyi, explained that the current scarcity was caused by NNPC’s failure to supply petrol.

The union leader said while members of his union were active in loading and supplying the products across the regions, “they can only supply what is available”.

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Asked if the scarcity has a relationship with the agitation for price hike, he said: “I am not government so I can’t answer this. Only government can determine this,” he said.

Efforts to contact NNPC spokesman Garba Deen Muhammad on the situation were abortive last night as his mobile phone was “switched off”.

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