Fresh fuel queues have emerged in Abuja, Niger, and Nasarawa States, following the closure of independent marketers’ filling stations due to the hike in ex-depot price to N710/litre by private depot owners.
Motorists besieged few operational stations, causing massive queues in Abuja and neighbouring states.
Independent marketers blamed the hike in ex-depot price, saying it’s difficult to access petrol and sell at a reasonable price. IPMAN President, Abubakar Maigandi, explained that private depots are selling at N710/litre, while NNPC retail outlets sell at N617/litre, making it challenging for independent marketers to compete.
Maigandi stated that IPMAN members are requesting additional volumes from NNPC, as the current allocation is insufficient. He assured that petrol is not scarce, and the queues are due to market challenges. Officials at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC confirmed that there is enough product in-country, and the queues will clear out soon.
The queues have caused discomfort for motorists, but IPMAN has assured that the situation will normalize once they receive sufficient products from NNPC or at fair prices.
