As Nigeria continues to grapple with severe fuel scarcity, the Federal Government has initiated a 15-day emergency fuel supply operation to mitigate the situation. Despite these efforts, long queues persist at filling stations, and citizens face increasing difficulties.
The Bureau Newspaper reports that the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria announced its members in Apapa and other locations in Lagos received 300 million liters of fuel from eight vessels this week. Additionally, Ayo Cardoso, the South-West Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMPDRA), confirmed that 240 million liters were offloaded at various depots on Monday, with an additional 85 million liters by Tuesday evening.
However, these measures have yet to alleviate the fuel scarcity as many filling stations remain either shut or sell fuel at exorbitant prices. On Wednesday, observed filling stations in Ogun, Lagos, and other areas were either closed or had lengthy queues of vehicles waiting to buy fuel.
Many residents in Ogun State have resorted to trekking due to skyrocketing transport fares and a shortage of operational commercial vehicles. The hike in transportation costs has also led to students in tertiary and preliminary schools missing classes.
One motorist, Kazeem Aderemi, expressed his frustration after spending hours in a queue at an NNPC filling station on MKO Abiola Way without success. In Ikotun, Lagos, only one filling station was reported to be dispensing petrol at N999 per liter, while others in the vicinity remained non-operational yet crowded with waiting motorists.
Fuel was being sold for N580 per liter at a Total filling station beside Isolo General Hospital and for N660 per liter at Jezco along Chemist Bus Stop. Additionally, black market vendors were capitalizing on the scarcity, selling petrol for as much as N1,200 per liter.
The Bureau Newspaper gathered that despite the Federal Government’s assurances of distributing over 300 million liters of fuel and the ongoing arrival of more fuel vessels, the situation has shown little improvement, prompting urgent calls from citizens for the government to effectively address the crisis.