The scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, grew worse across the country on Thursday, as massive queues were witnessed in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri, Nasarawa, Minna, among other places.

Oil marketers stated that the scarcity became worse due to the fact that dealers could hardly access the product from the only two depots that were dispensing the commodity in Lagos State as of Thursday.

The few filling stations, particularly those of independent marketers, that dispensed the commodity on Thursday, sold it at between N250/litre and N300/litre, depending on area of purchase.

Oil marketers told our correspondent that over 1,000 tickets, belonging to marketers which had paid for products, remained unattended to, at the few depots that dispense the commodity in Lagos.

It was gathered that the tickets, which were for over 1,000 tankers, had continued to pile up due to the pressure on the two depots, namely MRS and Pinnacle.

It was also gathered that the cost of petrol could have been increased quietly by the Federal Government, as stations that used to sell the approved price of N179 – N180/litre had raised their prices to between N185 – N190/litre.

Scarcity hits Abuja

The scarcity in Abuja was worse on Thursday, as virtually all retail outlets belonging to independent marketers were shut, while only few stations belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and major marketers dispensed PMS.

But the very few outlets that dispensed products were greeted with massive queues of motorists who spent hours waiting to buy petrol.

Commenting on the issue, the Secretary, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abuja-Suleja, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the concerns in the downstream sector would continue to linger as long as the government remained the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria.

He said, “The Federal Government, through NNPC, is the only one importing this product and it is subsidising it. And they don’t have the facility to store the product.

“Some time ago we complained about this because when they store in private depots, the price is hiked and some of the depots continue to exploit the masses arbitrarily.

“However, as it is now, the government is bringing in products. But the issue now is that virtually all the depots that belong to major marketers in Apapa axis of Lagos are empty. So there is now pressure on MRS and Pinnacle depots where NNPC drop products.”

Commenting on the issue, the Secretary, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abuja-Suleja, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the concerns in the downstream sector would continue to linger as long as the government remained the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria.

He said, “The Federal Government, through NNPC, is the only one importing this product and it is subsidising it. And they don’t have the facility to store the product.

“Some time ago we complained about this because when they store in private depots, the price is hiked and some of the depots continue to exploit the masses arbitrarily.

“However, as it is now, the government is bringing in products. But the issue now is that virtually all the depots that belong to major marketers in Apapa axis of Lagos are empty. So there is now pressure on MRS and Pinnacle depots where NNPC drop products.”

Shuaibu added, “So, there are over 1,000 tickets of marketers who have paid to have their trucks loaded, but we don’t know what is happening. Today they will tell you that they are upgrading the system, tomorrow you will hear that the system did not capture.”

He said tickets were piling and “you know that it takes much time to transport this product from the South to the North. Some trucks spend one month, especially when they have problems on the road, others spend two to three weeks.”

The IPMAN official called on the Federal Government to do something about this, adding that it must be done fast.

When asked why were other depots in Apapa and in other locations not selling products, Shuaibu stated that pipeline vandalism, depot upgrade and other issues were the reasons.

He said, “Last time we complained that some depots were exploiting us, and the depots argued that the cost of moving products from one end of their facility to another had Increased, as well as other issues. So we can’t tell whether that is another reason why NNPC stopped supplying some of these depots.

Things were not worse like this before. As I’m talking to you now, some of our tickets have been there for close to a month. I did payment since but I can’t load. And the story is the same across their 21 depots. We can’t load.”

Meanwhile, Shuabu stated that unconfirmed information on the official pump price of PMS that filtered in on Thursday evening was that the government had quietly raised the cost of petrol.

“I cannot confirm it yet, but we are hearing that they have quietly increased the pump price of petrol, because major marketers in Lagos who used to sell at N179 – N180/litre, are now selling at N185 – N190/litre,” he stated.
Also speaking on the issue, the Public Relations Officer, IPMAN, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, said another reason for the scarcity was the changes being done by NNPC in terms of payment for products by marketers.

He said, “NNPC has moved independent marketers from PPMC Marketers Express to the NNPC Retail portal. That NNPC Retail portal is where marketers will be able to buy their products. However, they told us that the portal is in place now.

“Another concern is that they (NNPC) are also having an issue with the remittance, which, according to them, has been resolved. But the impact of these issues will definitely be felt and it will take some time to clear.

“Marketers are calling on NNPC to supply products to some of the depots where independent marketers can access them since most NNPC depots are not functional because of pipeline vandalism.”

He added, “If you make more products available in NNPC selected depots, (especially the ones in Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Lagos), marketers can easily go there and pick up their volumes with this new redesigned NNPC marketers portal.

“Once this is done, the price of products will come down, because NNPC has not increased their price. So when marketers pick the products at the official price, they are bound to sell at the government approved price.”

Ukadike, however, noted that since marketers would not want to be idle and would not want their stations to remain dry, they usually purchased products from depot owners, as these set of dealers (depot owners) had their own challenges too.

He added, “So we are having price disparity at filling stations. If you go to the NNPC retail stations, you can buy petrol there at N179/litre, while some major marketers are selling at N200-N230/litre.

“It is therefore important for the NNPC to supply more products to independent marketers, who operate filling stations at the nook and crannies of Nigeria, so as to bring down the pressure of panic buying as well.”

NNPC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority have remained mute since the resurgence of fuel scarcity lately.

SOURCE
https://supers.ng/rising-petrol-price-hits-n300-per-litre/

The FG, NNPCL, subsidy cabal and the government hoardes of mummified zombies can only continue to deceive themselves

I have a suspicion that this scarcity is artificial, programmed to make Nigerians accept the new price of PMS after Dangote refinery comes on stream in February and so called subsidy is removed.

With Dangote refining and selling Petrol in Nigeria, expect prices to hit N500/litre before end of year.

Dangote has the formula of making consumer products beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians even when his wealth is built on borrowing from every Nigerian.

This country is in a mess in the hands of these wicked souls. We badly need an overhaul of the entire system, i just feel 1 month is too long a time to kick this govt out

In the last days of Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, Nigeria was a big mess. There were no light and no PMS, and Boko Haram was throwing bombs all over Maiduguri.

The truth is that the same thing is practically happening today, except for bombs going off all over the place. There's a pattern here. It seems that Nigerian politicians become less concerned in the last days of their administration.

If not, how does one explain that Buhari is paying subsidy on PMS and people are buying the product for #300?

It has been a reoccurring pattern that fuel goes scarce during major elections in Nigeria.

Make it 1k per litre let every man rest.

Even if it hits 500 naira per liter buhari will win again if he contested.
Nigerians deserve every bit of suffering.

Be prepared

Until petrol gets to ₦480 per liter. Then we ain't started yet ..

Diesel rose from ₦250 to ₦900..

Petrol Is set to rise too.

But one Man is responsible for all of this ..

His name is TIMIPREYE SYLVA

We have been buying 320 since 2022 here in Zaria, Kaduna state

SmartPolician:
In the last days of Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, Nigeria was a big mess. There were no light and no PMS, and Boko Haram was throwing bombs all over Maiduguri.

The truth is that the same thing is practically happening today, except for bombs going off all over the place. There's a pattern here. It seems that Nigerian politicians become less concerned in the last days of their administration.

If not, how does one explain that Buhari is paying subsidy on PMS and people are buying the product for #300?

Wetin concern Jonathan here?

Must you guys always defend this chronic failure of a man? He has always failed, nothing like last days. Wake up and drink water

Subsidy going bit by bit

When Dangote Refinery comes on stream

It's like this APC has bewitched Nigerians because on a norm, people suppose don dey protest everywhere. But look at it, people aren't even bothered. Everyone just want to survive, they're tired.


If you'll still vote APC, click LIKE

If you'll vote LP, click SHARE

For PDP, quote and write PDP

It's been between 300 and 315 for more than a month now here in my location.

Haha

For this..

We're voting out APC

Peter Obi is our choice

What is going on, is it that Aso rock is vacant ATM

N500 here

Even with the price hike, it's still not available.
Very anyhow country naija is.
Let's just vote wisely,
Vote for who you want your children to be like.

Wawu...

This is just the beginning as Nigerians groan in economic hardship.

I could recall vividly when sane Nigerians on this platform were trying to educate the foolish majority about the dangers of electing someone without a sound educational background like Buhari. This group of people shamelessly told us (Sane Nigerians) that even if Buhari presented a NEPA BILL as Educational qualification, that they would vote for him.

Unknown them, they were subconsciously digging a mass grave for Nigerians using emotional imbalance to project a man whom clearly was not fit to handle one of most delicate jobs in our country.

These people took our suspicion of Buhari's incalculable incapacity in public administration to mean HATRED and "Bad Belle-ism" thereby tagging us Wailers.

Today, the chicken has come home to roost.
An Economic Assassin like Buhari was an avoidable colossal damage if only reason was allowed to prevail. The fuel subsidy they argued in that past as shambolic is what the president administration is grappling with and nobody is protesting against it.

Well, the good thing is, those who called us Wailers @ some point in time when we were trying to avert someone like Buhari, equally are queuing up to purchase fuel @ the rate of 300 naira per litre.

There is a saying that, What you sow is what you shall reap.

Goodmorning Nigerians.

Why is NLC quiet. There ought to be a strike action by now

Some sides sell as high as 400 naira o. APC has ruined the nation completely

In sane environment, Tinupoo and Buhari should be stoned to death.

And we have a decrepit of a President that calls himself the Minister for petroleum resources.
Shame !

TOPCRUISE:
Why is NLC quiet.

They are apc lap dogs na...why would they? Oshiomole their God is with the APC

And yet some unscrupulous nonentities still want this satanic party to come back after election.