Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has moved to debunk fears of a fuel scarcity following reports of long queues at filling stations in parts of Lagos.
Reports from The Punch disclosed that on Monday, motorists faced congestion along Ikorodu Road and Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, with some stations on Obafemi Awolowo Road and Ogunnusi Road reportedly closed.
Moreover, NNPCL stations on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were said to have been non-operational.
Addressing the situation, NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye stated that the recent tightness experienced in certain areas was a result of a “brief distribution issue” in Lagos, emphasising that the matter has already been resolved.
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“The recent tightness experienced in certain areas was due to a brief distribution issue in Lagos, which has since been resolved,” said Soneye.
Furthermore, Hammed Fashola, National Vice Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), joined in to dispel concerns of scarcity. Fashola suggested that the queues observed might be attributed to panic buying rather than an actual shortage of fuel.
“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 stated, echoing the sentiment that the situation was more about consumer apprehension than an insufficient fuel supply.
NNPCL and IPMAN reassured the public that measures have been taken to rectify the distribution issue, emphasizing that there is no current fuel scarcity and urging citizens not to engage in panic buying.