With no end in sight in the worsening petrol scarcity, motorists have voiced their deep frustration over the lingering nightmare that seems to have eluded effective resolution.

They implored relevant stakeholders to address the supply shortfall urgently to prevent a severe disruption of economic activities.

In separate interviews with Daily Sun, drivers expressed their discontent with the significant loss of productive time spent at filling stations. This wasted time, they lamented, could have been invested in more productive pursuits. Some of them said they now resume and close at filling stations where they are forced to sleep in their cars to get the product at dawn.

Throughout Lagos, from Maryland in Ikeja to Surulere, Ojota, Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Isolo, Apapa, Ogba, and Abule-Egba, vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, and the ubiquitous ‘Korope’ were seen forming long queues at gas stations.

While major marketers were seen dispensing fuel, independent marketers had largely shut down their stations due to a lack of products.

Mr. Monday Ejike, a commercial motorist at the Mobil filling station on Dayo Adeniji Street in Abule-Egba, Lagos, recounted waiting in line since 5 a.m. on Sunday, hoping to secure fuel for the upcoming week. He had anticipated a productive week and sought to avoid further disruptions.

Similarly, Mr. Shina Egbeyemi, a banker with a second-generation bank, shared that he had to forego attending church services to fill his tank. Egbeyemi expressed his concern that Nigeria, a nation rich in crude oil resources, should not subject its citizens to such severe hardship. He described the fuel crisis as indicative of a failing state and called on authorities to address the issue and end the national embarrassment. The fuel scarcity has exacerbated the traffic congestion across Lagos, with vehicles often spending extended periods navigating through gridlocked streets. At some filling stations along major highways, traffic jams extended up to two kilometers or more.

In Alapere, near the Third Mainland Bridge, the dense concentration of filling stations worsened traffic congestion as motorists struggled to reach the bridge. By 2 p.m. on Sunday, the traffic had backed up to Ojota Interchange and the old toll gate at 7UP.

Industry insiders suggest that the crisis may be linked to the indebtedness of NNPC Ltd to its oil traders. Sources at the Apapa depot revealed a sharp decline in cargo arrivals at the nation’s ports over the past two months. They reported that loading activities had slowed significantly, with prioritization of Abuja causing a rationing of petroleum products. Unless the volume of imported cargoes increases substantially in the coming weeks, a resolution to the crisis remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, NNPC Ltd has acknowledged that it was battling financial strain due to petrol supply cost and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply.

A statement by the Chief Corporate Communication Officer, NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, admitted that the financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the Company.

Global suppliers of petrol are no longer enthusiastic about supplying the product on credit to the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited NNPC Ltd due to piling debts totaling about $6 billion.

NNPC Ltd had initially denied the reports around $6 billion debt to oil traders, citing credit lifeline as a normal business practice.

“In line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), NNPC Ltd remains dedicated to its role as the supplier of last resort, ensuring national energy security. We are actively collaborating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to maintain a consistent supply of petroleum products nationwide”.

Despite a directive by the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority(NMDPRA), banning the sale of fuel into jerrycans, the activities of ‘black marketers’ operators in connivance with some filling station manager have further exacerbated the groaning hardship motorists are subjected to.

While many law abiding consumers take pains to join long queues and wait for their turn, those that can cough out extra N2,000 to use illegal route into the filling stations are obliged such ‘luxury’.

In addition to that, the black market operators have unfettered access into the filling station where they buy fuel at regulated price of N618 per litre from major marketers and sell at between N1000 to N1,100 per liter just by the gate of the filing stations.

Majority of these illegal operators can be found on major roads such as Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Airport road, College road, and Lagos Abeokuta Expressway.

The directive comes amidst the ongoing petrol scarcity, which has led to long queues at the few filling stations that are still dispensing fuel in major cities.

In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) last Thursday, NMDPRA officials were seen cautioning the management of a gas station to halt the illegal sale of fuel in jerrycans, citing safety concerns.

One of the NMDPRA officials, who appeared to be conducting a field assessment, was seen in the video threatening to withdraw the retail licences of gas stations that fail to comply with the directive.

“We will withdraw your licence. You have to take this seriously. No selling in jerrycans,” the official repeatedly warned in the video footage. (Daily Sun)

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