Petrol station N720/Litre, Black market N1500/Litre, Fuel crisis as Queues spread in Lagos, Ogun, others, stations raise pump prices

Even though Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) claims that the logistic issues causing fuel scarcity have been resolved, people in Lagos and other parts of the country are still struggling to get Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) as many filling stations remained closed throughout the weekend.

This issue has worsened in Lagos and other parts of the southwest like Ogun, Oyo, Osun and others as you can easily count how many cars are on the road because there is a directive by the NNPCL that fuel trucks must first service the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) before any other place. As a result, most of the trucks leaving the depots in Lagos since Friday were heading for Abuja.

Officials of the NNPCL and marketers confirmed that there was a directive that depots should service Abuja filling stations before any other part of the country. They are worried that queues might persist in the South-West for the next three days. According to oil sector sources, hundreds of trucks loaded on Saturday were sent to Abuja based on the NNPCL directive PunchNG reported.

Residents in Lagos State are still complaining about the untold hardship they are experiencing due to the fuel scarcity, making businesses and other activities very difficult.

Our correspondent who visited some parts of Ikorodu on Sunday confirmed no petrol station was selling fuel as the black market is selling for N1,000 per litre in the area, while some fuel stations in Ikeja are selling at N720 while speaking with pump attendants in Blueshore Filling station along Awoloway way Ikeja, she stated they lack products to dispense.

At the NNPCL, where the product was sold at N580/litre, there were long queues of motorists who spent hours waiting and fighting one another to buy fuel. As a result, black marketers made brisk business selling to willing buyers at higher prices ranging from N700 to N900.