Petroleum marketers have said that the non-availability of Premium Motor Spirit in filling stations located in Lagos and Ogun states is as a result of shortage in supply.
Similarly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), confirmed that there were no products in its Apapa depots.
Note that long queues resurfaced in filling stations across the two states on Friday, creating fear of impending fuel scarcity.
Our correspondents, who went round some parts of Lagos and Ogun states, reported that the queues of desperate motorists in some of the filling stations affected the free flow of traffic.
At the Oando filling station in Alapere, Lagos, commuters were held in traffic as motorists struggled to buy fuel. The station stopped dispensing fuel later in the day.
There were long queues at the Conoil filling station, while the TotalEnergies station in the same area was not dispensing fuel to customers.
It was observed that many stations did not dispense fuel and this increased the pressure on the few ones where the product was available.
A customer on the Ikotun Idimu Road in Lagos, who gave his name as Mr Ejiogbu, said, “I just noticed there are long queues in filling stations around here and I don’t know why it is only the NNPC station that is dispensing fuel in the area.
“I started noticing the scarcity and queues everywhere two days ago and I don’t know why.”
It was observed that the scarcity has started affecting transport fares.
A trader, Mrs Ada Herbert, said, “Ikotun to Cele Express used to be between N400 and N500, but today, drivers pegged it at N600; I don’t know if it was as a result of the fuel scarcity.”
The National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, had said on Monday that there was a little hiccup in the distribution of the product and expressed optimism that normalcy would be restored after the Easter break.
Fashola stated, “Yes, I think there was a little infraction in supply. The Easter holidays from Friday to Monday also added to the situation. I think from Wednesday it will ease off.
“There was little problem with supply even before the holidays. There was a little hiccup in supply, and the holiday added to it. I am sure will start getting better after the holidays.”
