Fuel scarcity: NNPC blames thunderstorm, logistics, marketers disagree

Fuel scarcity: NNPC blames thunderstorm, logistics, marketers disagree

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has attributed the current fuel supply shortage to logistics issue and flooding in the coastal part of the country.

But marketers suspect the short supply was due to suspended importation of fuel in anticipation of supply coming this month from Dangote refinery.

The scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, has intensified in Abuja, Lagos, and other states, with many filling stations closed and few dispensing having long queues
Many motorists have resorted to buying from the black marketers selling the product in gallons at exhorbitant rate. A 10-litre of petrol was sold between N10,000 and N13,000, about 100 per cent increase.
Giving reasons for the latest shortage, the NNPC Limited in a statement by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, said adverse weather also affected ship-to-ship transfers of the product to the ports.
He said, “The NNPC Ltd wishes to state that the fuel queues seen in the FCT and some parts of the country were as a result of disruption of ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels resulting from recent thunderstorm.
“The adverse weather condition has also affected berthing at jetties, truck load-outs and transportation of products to filling stations, causing a disruption in station supply logistics.
“The NNPC Ltd also states that due to flammability of petroleum products and in compliance with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) regulations, it was impossible to load petrol during rainstorms and lightning.”
Soneye also said, “Adherence to these regulations is mandatory as any deviation could pose severe danger to the trucks, filling stations and human lives.

“Similarly, the development was compounded by consequential flooding of truck routes which has constrained movement of PMS from the coastal corridors to the Federal Capital, Abuja.”

He however stated that the NNPC Ltd was already working with relevant stakeholders to resolve the logistics challenges and restore supply.
“Already, loading has commenced in areas where these challenges have subsided, and we are hoping the situation will continue to improve in the coming days and full normalcy will be restored”, he assured motorists.
He urged them to “avoid panic buying and hoarding of petroleum products”.
But the Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Chinedu Ukadike, said marketers had not received the product for some time.
He said it was possibly due to the expected delivery of petrol from the Dangote refinery.
He said marketers were threading cautiously in order not to incur losses should the petrol price crash as a result of supply from the refinery.
He said, “Supply has become epileptic again and we have not received adequate supply in recent times, remember we still depend on the importation of products.
“Once there is any shortage in supply or logistic problem or procrastination, then the impact is almost immediate.
“I also believe that since Dangote announced its petrol supply intention, those supplying NNPC are sceptical of bringing in products because they don’t want to incur the losses which they suffered when Dangote entered the market and slashed the price of AGO (Automated Gas Oil popularly known as diesel).”