NNPCL dismisses fear of scarcity, cites distribution

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has explained the cause of the long queues in some filling stations in Lagos State.

The NNPCL said the “tightness” was a result of what it called a “brief distribution issue”.

The PUNCH reported earlier that there were long queues in some filling stations in Lagos on Monday, as residents feared there might be a fresh scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit.

The queues were noticeable at filling stations along the Ikorodu Road.

Also, the Total Filling Station at the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way had queues which led to traffic jam around the Ikeja axis.

Our correspondent also observed that many of the filling stations along the Ikeja axis, through Obafemi Awolowo Road in Ikeja, were shut.

One of our correspondents also reported that all the filling stations along Ogunnusi Road, inbound Berger, did not sell petrol to customers.

It was gathered that filling stations owned by the NNPCL along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway did not dispense fuel as of Monday evening.

Speaking to our correspondent in a chat on Tuesday morning, the NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, dismissed insinuations of fresh fuel scarcity.

Soneye disclosed that the NNPCL did not have supply issues, saying its products remained readily available.

He added that the distribution issue in some areas had been resolved.

“We are pleased to confirm that there are no supply issues, and our products remain readily available.

“The recent tightness experienced in certain areas was due to a brief distribution issue in Lagos, which has since been resolved,” Soneye told our correspondent.

Similarly, the National Vice Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, said he was aware of the queues in some filling stations in Lagos.

However, Fashola said the queues might be due to panic-buying on the part of customers.

“I am not in Lagos as we speak. But I heard about it too that there are queues in Lagos. It may just be panic buying. I am not sure there is fuel scarcity. People are just panicking. However, I will find out what the problem is,” Fashola said.

The Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, said he was not aware of the situation as he was not in Lagos at the time of filing this report.