Nigerians Groan As Fuel Scarcity Worsens In Lagos, Abuja, Others

Nigerians have continued to lament the worsening fuel queues and the fuel scarcity across the country.

For oil marketers, the solution to the worsening fuel queues across the country is for the Federal Government to approve an increase in the pump price of the commodity.

The independent marketers stated that it would be difficult for them to sell at the official pump price.

Although some marketers had already raised the price of fuel in their outlets, they admitted that the move had not been approved by the government. The marketers stated that dealers could be sanctioned for selling above the regulated rate.

The approved pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, is N165/litre, but marketers are currently kicking against this rate.

According to the marketers, it is no longer sustainable to sell at the recommended price due to the global crisis in the energy sector that had dragged on for about four months since the Ukraine/Russia war started.

Following the fuel scarcity, black market players took advantage of the fuel scarcity, selling as high as N300/litre in Lagos, Abuja, Nasarawa and other states.

Commuters were left stranded in various parts of Lagos due to the fuel scarcity and commercial bus drivers used the opportunity to increase transport fares.

Some filling stations began to hoard products as those that dispensed petrol had to increase the price of the commodity in Lagos.

The IPMAN, in a statement by its Lagos State Depot Secretary, Akeem Balogun, said that its members cannot sell less than N180/litre due to the high cost of operation.

“With the current price, there is no way we can sell less than N180/litre. Members are hereby advised to sell at a sustainable price within their environment. Just make sure that the price is on your pump.

“Kindly contact the secretariat should you have any authority challenging your operations,” he said.

This article was originally published on Naija News