Fuel Queues Return in Nigeria Due to NNPCL Supply Issues, Say Marketers

 

Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association (PETROAN), has attributed the recent fuel scarcity in Abuja, Nasarawa, and other states to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited's (NNPCL) failure to supply Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol).

In an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, Gillis-Harry responded to the re-emergence of fuel queues in Nigeria. Reports indicate that fuel queues have resurfaced in the nation’s capital and neighboring states as motorists scramble for petrol. For instance, the NNPCL retail filling station along Kubwa Expressway experienced massive queues on Friday, similar to Ranoil in Gwarimpa. Moreover, many filling stations along the Kubwa Expressway, Lugbe, and Airport Road axis were without fuel on Saturday morning.

Gillis-Harry expressed his frustration, stating, "Yesterday (Friday), I went to over fifteen filling stations in Abuja, including NNPCL retail outlets, but there is no product. If they say they increase prices, it is their own thing. You sell according to how much you buy the product. We don’t have the product; that is the reason for the scarcity. We cannot fix a price because we don’t import the product; it is NNPCL that is the sole importer."

When asked if the anticipated commencement of fuel supply by Dangote refinery in mid-July 2024 could be the cause of the scarcity, Gillis-Harry explained, "Dangote refinery has not brought in any fuel, even Automotive Gas Oil (diesel), we are struggling to have it. Dangote is facing the herculean challenge of meeting the deadline. We are proud of having a refinery of 650,000 barrels per day in Nigeria. Meanwhile, NNPCL cannot say because the Dangote refinery fuel supply is coming on board, they will stop its import. Nigerians depend on PMS daily. Dangote has not produced a liter of PMS."

Gillis-Harry emphasized the importance of NNPCL addressing the supply issues, noting, "NNPCL has just a few filling stations. PETROAN and other stakeholders have several across the country. It is critical to ensure that all major stakeholders are aware of the things happening in the sector to avoid situations like this. We should ask NNPCL to up their game to halt the supply challenge."

Efforts to contact NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or texts. The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, requested to be contacted later regarding the matter.

This development comes as the National Bureau of Statistics, in its latest Petrol Price Watch, reported that the average price of petrol per liter rose to N769.62 in May 2024. It is noteworthy that the removal of fuel subsidies in June of the previous year led to pump prices increasing to around N700 per liter from N238.11.