THE NATION
The shortage of petrol yesterday spread to Lagos State.
Motorists and others waited for hours in queues at the few filling stations dispensing the product.
Other states that experienced acute scarcity are Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Jigawa.
The scarcity first hit the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) last week. But an improvement was noticed by The Nation across Abuja yesterday.
Most Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) franchise stations, especially in Lagos, had their gates closed to motorists due to a lack of stock.
However, some marketers that opened for business in the nation’s commercial capital had queues.
Scores of jerry can–carrying residents were also seen struggling for access.
Unlike independent marketers who cashed in on the situation to slightly hike their pump prices, the majors did not.
But, as vehicle owners and other petrol users lamented the situation, the NNPC Ltd and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the scarcity on the logistics challenge.
They, however, gave an assurance that normalcy would return this week as product lifting started by marketers.
NNPCL Chief Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, said the company had no issues with stock availability.
He explained that each time a supply disruption happens(like the one caused by logistics hiccups), it normally takes a maximum of five days for normalcy to return.
“It (logistics challenge) has been resolved. The thing is once there’s a day or two in disruption it takes about three to five days for normalcy to return. We have products and there is no cause for worry,” Soneye said.
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