The ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, at private depots in Nigeria has skyrocketed to N850 per litre, further exacerbating the ongoing fuel crisis. This marks a steep increase from last week’s N780 per litre, primarily due to reduced petrol imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
The hike in depot prices has inevitably translated into higher pump prices at filling stations run by independent marketers. In some regions, particularly in the North, petrol is now selling for as high as N1,000 per litre, leaving motorists to grapple with the burden of soaring fuel costs.
In response to the situation, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has warned that any filling stations caught selling petrol at inflated rates will face closure. Despite these warnings, long queues of vehicles at filling stations were still observed on Friday in cities like Lagos, Abuja, Niger, and Nasarawa.
According to oil marketers, while NNPC depots are dispensing petrol at prices below N600 per litre, private depots are selling it at nearly N850 per litre. Mustapha Zarma, National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), explained that independent marketers are forced to purchase from private depots due to limited supply from NNPC.
“Private depot owners sell to us at prices above N800. As of today, it’s N850,” Zarma said. “These depots get their supplies from NNPC at less than N600 per litre, but by the time it reaches us, the price is significantly higher.”
The NMDPRA has claimed that their reports from depot officials show different prices than what is being reported by independent marketers. NMDPRA spokesperson George Ene-Ita stated, “Our field agents at the depots provide us with daily price updates, and the figures do not match the N850 per litre claims.”
Ene-Ita warned that any filling station found selling petrol at rates as high as N900 or N1,000 per litre would be shut down. He emphasized that NNPC’s pricing structure does not support such high retail prices.
**Long Queues and Sleepless Nights for Fuel in Major Cities**
Across Nigeria, the struggle to access fuel has continued unabated. In Abuja, motorists have been queuing for hours at various stations, with some outlets in Kuje Area Council selling petrol for as much as N950 per litre. In contrast, other stations like AA Rano offer it for N720 per litre. Meanwhile, in Lugbe and other parts of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, filling stations such as Rain Oil are witnessing heavy queues as motorists wait for hours to buy fuel.
The situation is equally dire in Lagos, where many residents are spending nights at filling stations to ensure they can purchase petrol when it becomes available. At the Total Energies Filling Station in the Ketu area, drivers camp out overnight, sleeping in their cars or arriving as early as 2 a.m. to secure a spot in line.
A commercial bus driver, Sammy Okechukwu, shared his routine: “I come here every night after work and sleep in my car. By morning, I am among the first to buy fuel when they open.” Another driver, simply identified as Mr. Okere, echoed similar sentiments, stating he had spent two nights at the station to ensure he could buy fuel and continue working.
The scarcity has also led to chaotic scenes at other filling stations. At an NNPC station in Obalende, Lagos, customers were seen waiting late into the night, with some bringing kegs to fill. A customer, Toluwalope Olaseinde, said, “I will sleep here if I have to. I don’t have a choice.”
The NNPC has attributed the fuel scarcity to evacuation challenges at the Apapa port in Lagos, assuring that measures are being taken to resolve the issue. NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye said, “The issue is with evacuation from the vessel at Apapa. We are working on it, and the situation should improve soon.”
Despite these assurances, the fuel crisis persists, leaving Nigerians to deal with high prices and long wait times in their quest to buy petrol.
