The resurgence of long queues for Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) is becoming evident once again at filling stations in Lagos, Ogun states, and a few other locations in the South-Western states.
While queues haven’t been spotted in Abuja and Northern states, depots in Lagos are experiencing dwindling petrol supplies.
These queues are notably present at various stations, causing congestion on roadways such as the Oshodi-Ojodu Berger Expressway and sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The North-West filling station has the longest queue, dispensing petrol at N568/litre, while other stations have slightly shorter queues.
However, stations like Conoil, Enyo, and Oando at Berger in Lagos are without any petrol supply. Some stations like Worldoil, Fatgbems, and Quest in Ogun State have closed their outlets due to this shortage.
The Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Akin Akinrinade, explained that the pipeline vandalism issue they raised alarms about in July has been impacting supply.
This has affected depots’ ability to load products, particularly the Satellite Depot.
The NNPCL Retail depot is also dispatching products on a limited scale.
Unfortunately, these disruptions extend to Lagos and the entire South-West.
The NNPCL Retail owns depots across the country, with nine in the North and twelve in the South.
However, due to pipeline vandalism, they have relied on private depots for product dispatch, which has led to challenges in maintaining a steady supply.
There have been efforts to repair pipelines, like the Satellite depot in Lagos, but even that depot was vandalized in July.
As a result of the rising foreign exchange and high prices at depots, some stations have been unable to import products. Many stations have had to shut down due to financial constraints.
The imbalance between demand and supply has also led to a reduction in imports by NNPCL, further contributing to the scarcity of petrol.
It was initially hoped that the Dangote Refinery’s operations would help alleviate the situation, but with the refinery’s delayed output, the scarcity continues.
While the market price of petrol has increased significantly since the end of fuel subsidies, there is still hope for intervention from NNPCL to stabilize the situation.
Major outlets in Lagos have been impacted, and motorists are worried about the potential for further price increases.
This situation has led to panic among commercial transport operators and motorists alike. While queues have not spread to other regions, the decline in imports could potentially lead to wider scarcity and queues if not addressed promptly.
The President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, stressed the importance of rehabilitating refineries to prevent similar scenarios in the future.
