
By Ese Ufuoma
In Abuja and neighbouring Nasarawa and Niger states, the lines for Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, worsened on Thursday with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited attributing the situation to logistical challenges but assured that it had been resolved.
Petrol remained in short supply on Thursday in the Federal Capital Territory and several other Northern states, prompting many gas stations to shut their doors. Those who remained open faced lengthy queues of customers.
Independent marketers hiked the price of the product to an average of N700/litre, whereas NNPC retail outlets maintained the approved N617/litre price.
According to fuel marketers, the supply of PMS to Abuja via the Suleja Depot in Niger State had been consistently poor. They noted a decrease in fuel truck deliveries to Suleja Depot and other Northern depots.
Valuechain had previously reported widespread gas station closures in Abuja and five other states, leading to heavy queues at the remaining outlets. This shortage left thousands of commuters stranded at bus stops across several states.
Consequently, transport fares increased in the affected states as the limited availability of petrol prompted some transporters to raise fares.
However, the Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abuja-Suleja Branch, Mohammed Shuaibu stated that PMS supply to the capital and its environs remained low.
“Supply is low while demand is high. Currently, only NNPC retail stations are selling at N617/litre in Abuja and other Northern states. Other stations are charging arbitrary prices.
“The situation at the Suleja Depot, which serves Abuja and its surroundings, is dire. There’s a significant decrease in supply, with trucks not arriving as usual from the depots in Warri and Lagos, where products are normally sourced,” he said.