The nation’s problems with gasoline supply reached it third week, although marketers are still optimistic about the state of affairs after NNPC Limited released further amounts.
Investigative reports revealed that although lines at a few of the gas stations in Abuja that were previously closed to cars have gotten much shorter, the problem in Lagos is still unresolved.

There were a few retail stores run by large marketers in the nation’s capital that were open to the public, and lines stretched just outside of their doors.
It will take a few more days for the supply to stabilize, according to Chief Chinedu Ukadike, Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), who was speaking about the current situation.

He disclosed that marketers in System 2A and System B were expected to load the product in the coming days.

According to him, “Anytime there is scarcity in Lagos, there will be scarcity everywhere because is the landing port for all imported petroleum products and NNPC will use their daughter vessels to distribute products to the coastal areas.

“Yes, product has come and it is being distributed but like I said earlier in interview with Vanguard, since our pipelines are not working, product will be distributed through daughter vessels to coastal depots where marketers can pick from. Trucks are made to travel to between 500km to 1,000km to deliver products.

“It is a gradual process and Nigerians should be patience. I think they are working assiduously to improve the situation especially now that in Port Harcourt we have received over five million litres of petrol which will water the area.

“I am aware that Warri and Calabar are also loading. So, in few days time everything will normalize. I believe that they are giving more priority to Abuja and the surrounding areas to clear the queues. If you see Abuja, you will see improvement. There is fuel, it is just that it is not sufficient to return supply to normal period.

“I want to give thumb up to the management of NNPCL for standing up and facing some these logistic challenges. I hope that lessons have been learnt”. 

Ukadike stated while over 10,000 marketers have now had licences renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, uploading the licences on NNPC portal has remained a challenge.

In order to prevent marketers from being shut out when the portal reopens, he encouraged NNPC Limited to expedite the procedure.