Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian government has assured citizens that fuel availability across the country will improve significantly by the end of next week. This promise comes after President Bola Tinubu directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to address the ongoing challenges in the oil and gas sector, particularly the issues surrounding fuel scarcity and fluctuating prices.
On Thursday, Vice President Shettima met with key officials, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, at the Presidential Villa. During the meeting, they discussed strategies to ensure that petroleum products are more accessible nationwide.
Minister Lokpobiri, speaking to reporters after the meeting, emphasized that the government is taking immediate action to resolve the uneven distribution of fuel, which has led to shortages in some areas and higher prices in others. He reassured Nigerians that by next week, they should start seeing an increase in fuel availability.
“The administration is committed to ensuring that petroleum products are accessible across the country, which will help stabilize prices,” Lokpobiri said. He noted that while prices may still vary by region, the focus is on increasing supply to meet the demands of all Nigerians.
Lokpobiri also clarified that the federal government does not set fuel prices, as the sector is regulated. However, with the expected increase in product availability, market forces are anticipated to naturally bring prices to a more stable level.
This intervention comes in the wake of recent fuel price adjustments, which saw the price per liter jump from N617 to N897, causing concern among Nigerians. The government’s swift action aims to alleviate the burden on citizens and ensure a more reliable fuel supply in the coming days.
President Tinubu, currently on an official trip to China for the FOCAC summit, is closely monitoring the situation and has expressed his concern for the difficulties Nigerians are facing.
