Motorists in Cross River State are facing a fresh fuel shortage as members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) commenced an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday.

The unions closed all filling stations in the state from 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2025, until their national leaders give new instructions, The Guardian reports.

The decision was made following an emergency meeting on Saturday, September 6, 2025. In a circular sent to all marketers, the unions warned that any filling station that operates during the strike will be fined ?1 million.

The two-day nationwide strike by oil workers has caused the complete closure of filling stations in Calabar, the state capital, as motorists have now resorted to patronizing black marketers in front of filling stations.

Our correspondent reports that the situation was normal until Tuesday morning, when all the filling stations across the state capital complied with the directive to close down until further notice.

However, the development has started to take its toll, slowing down commercial activities in the city, where many commuters were stranded for hours at various bus stops.

From Calabar Road to Murtala Muhammed Highway, Mary Slessor, Marian road and Mayne Avenue, there was a huge presence of the black marketers who sold the product to the highest bidders while the filling stations remained closed.

Findings further revealed that officials of the Petroleum Workers Union were monitoring their stations in Calabar to ensure 100 per cent compliance.

The fuel scarcity has caused transportation fares to rise, with taxi and bus drivers doubling the cost for the distances covered. For instance, before the strike, the journey from Marian to MCC Road, which is about three kilometres, was N200, but that has now increased to N300. From 8 Miles, which is on the outskirts of town, it was N400, but it now costs N600.

Commuters and other fuel users who spoke with our correspondent said they have endured untold hardship in the past 48 hours due to the scarcity and called for an urgent and peaceful resolution of the disagreement.

Black market operators are profiting from the scarcity by selling the product in jerrycans along the major roads and streets in Calabar for between N1400 and N1,700 per litre, compared to the pump price of N980.

Commercial drivers and private car owners told our correspondent in the state that the scarcity would cause untold hardship to the people if the disagreement is not resolved immediately.

Although most managers of the filling stations declined to comment, the manager of one of the NNPC stations in Calabar, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter that although they had products, they were shut down on the directive of their headquarters, which warned that anyone who flouts the directive would be liable to a fine of two million naira. (The Guardian)