Petrol queues resurface in Abuja despite N680 pump price

Petrol queues resurfaced at filling stations across the nation’s capital, Abuja, and the surrounding states as several outlets ran out of stock despite the high pump price of N680 per litre.

Checks around the city showed chaotic scenes across the few stations operated by major marketers dispensing to motorists in the city centre and suburbs, while stations operated by independent marketers were shut.

With several stations shut, black marketers seems to be having a field day as they sold to desperate motorists at N1,000 per litre in the city centre and N950 per litre in the surrounding areas.

At TotalEnergies station located in the central area, a long queue was seen with some of the motorists complaining of spending over two hours without purchasing the product. The situation was worsened by motorists trying to gain entry into the station through the exit gate without having to queue.

The situation was the same at stations owned by AA Rano, Mobil, NIPCO and Ardova Plc.

Speaking to media of the distribution challenge, the Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike blamed the queues on logistics challenges.

He said Independents have not been able to order for new products in the past two weeks because the NNPC Retail portal is down.

“The portal is down and we have not been able to request for products. We have a meeting with NNPC Retail tomorrow where we hope that the issue will be resolved. The challenge is logistic and we hope to have it resolved soonest.

“I don’t think there’s any need for panic buying because the issue will be resolved soon. I will only appeal to NNPC to create an alternative like physical process of making an order for products at a time like this.

IPMAN stations are shut down because we don’t have the product and that is why you are seeing the queues. Once we receive the product, queues will disappear because we will relieve the stations operated by major marketers. Don’t forget that we have more stations and we are also closer to the consumers”, he added.