MEMAN, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, has cautioned against panic buying of fuel amid recent shortages in Lagos, attributing the situation to adverse weather conditions.
In an interview, MEMAN executive secretary Clement Isong addressed the queues observed at filling stations across Lagos, attributing the petrol supply shortfall to severe weather conditions and thunderstorms. These factors have disrupted crucial operations such as ship-to-ship (STS) trans-loading, berthing at jetties, truck load-outs, and the transportation of products to filling stations.
Isong pointed out that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had issued warnings against loading petrol during rainstorms and lightning, emphasizing safety concerns related to the handling and storage of petroleum products due to their flammable nature.
He stressed the importance of adhering strictly to safety regulations in the transportation, dispensing, consumption, and storage of petroleum products.
“Any deviation from these regulations poses significant danger and risks, including fatalities. We wish to reiterate that there is no cause for alarm. We strongly urge Nigerians to avoid panic buying or stockpiling of petrol. This behaviour not only creates artificial scarcity but also poses a significant safety hazard,” Mr Isong said.
He added that the delay in loading petroleum products at depots due to storms contributed to the shortfall of stocks in filling stations.
“Many trucks could not load product for over 48 hours during the storm. Now that the weather is clear, marketers have begun loading, and all trucks have commenced distribution of fuel to all stations across the country. We want to assure Nigerians that there is no scarcity, and they should not stock petrol at home,” he said.
Isong also mentioned that illegal smuggling of the product to neighbouring countries had increased the country’s consumption to between 58 to 60 million litres per day.
To address this, he noted that NNPCL had tightened the supply chain to avoid illegal smuggling.
According to Isong, NNPCL is buying and importing petrol at international prices and selling considerably domestically.
Checks in Lagos revealed that queues for petrol resurfaced in parts of the city, with fuel stations packed with vehicles waiting to fill their tanks. The long queues extended to road networks, causing gridlock in some areas.
Some consumers were also seen queuing at closed filling stations in hopes of accessing the product.
There were long queues at NNPC stations on Ikorodu Road, Fadeyi, Bariga, and Ogba. Similar situations were seen at NIPCO stations in Fadeyi, Surulere, and Ago Palace Way. In Epe, there were queues for petrol at T-Tap, TotalEnergies, Enyo and Petrocam.
In Ikorodu, vehicles were lined up at Mobil, TotalEnergies, NIPCO, and Malo stations at Odogunyan First Gate.
