Oil marketers have revealed the reason behind the return of fuel queues across parts of Nigeria.
According to the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association (PETROAN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is responsible for the current fuel scarcity in Abuja, Nasarawa, and other states.
The President of PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, the non-supply of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) by NNPCL has led to the scarcity.
In a recent interview, Gillis-Harry disclosed that he visited numerous filling stations but found no fuel. He said marketers cannot fix prices since they are not importing the product and sell according to the amount they buy.
The reason for the fuel queues and scarcity, he stressed, is that PETROAN members and marketers do not have the product.
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He said, “Yesterday (Friday), I went to over fifteen filling stations in Abuja, including NNPCL retail outlets, but there is no product. If they say they increase prices, it is their own thing. You sell according to how much you buy the product.
“We don’t have the product, that is the reason for the scarcity. We cannot fix a price because we don’t import the product; it is NNPCL that is the sole importer.
Gillis-Harry also dismissed the notion that the planned commencement of fuel supply by Dangote refinery in mid-July 2024 is responsible for the scarcity. He noted that Dangote refinery has not brought in any fuel, and NNPCL cannot stop importing fuel because of the anticipated supply from Dangote.
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There have been fuel queues in the nation’s capital and neighbouring Nasarawa, as well as other states.
Voice Air Media, News Update reports that many filling stations along the Kubwa Expressway, Lugbe, and Airport Road axis were without fuel on Saturday morning.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that the average price of petrol per litre rose to N769.62 in May 2024.
This comes after the fuel subsidy removal announcement in June last year, which led to pump prices increasing to around N700 per litre from N238.11.
