The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a warning to oil marketers, threatening to revoke their licenses if they are found hoarding petrol.
This comes amid a continuing fuel shortage that has impacted several states, particularly in the northern region, including Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kaduna.
The scarcity has led to the closure of many filling stations, worsening the situation as demand remains high. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has intervened by targeting hoarding practices, which are believed to be a major cause of the ongoing issue.
During a recent inspection in Abuja, Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure at NMDPRA, underscored the seriousness of the problem. In a video shared by the regulator, Ukoha instructed filling station managers to stop the illegal sale of petrol to black marketers who often use jerrycans. He emphasized that these activities not only exacerbate the shortage but also pose serious safety risks.
NMDPRA has launched a crackdown on the illegal sale of petroleum products, with a particular focus on the distribution of petrol in jerrycans. The agency has warned that any station involved in or supporting these activities will face license suspension.
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Previously, on July 27, 2024, Olufemi Soneye, spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), explained that the fuel shortages in Abuja and Lagos were due to operational disruptions with vessel discharge. He noted that these disruptions, along with adverse weather conditions, had affected the supply chain and contributed to temporary shortages.
Despite these explanations and ongoing efforts by NNPCL to resolve the issues, the fuel crisis continues to affect many northern states. The Federal Government’s new measures aim to tackle both the supply chain disruptions and the illegal activities exacerbating the shortage.
