The recent nationwide hunger protests have led to significant disruptions in fuel supply, causing long queues at filling stations across many states in Nigeria. Oil marketers have explained that the cessation of petroleum product supplies is a precautionary measure to protect their assets during the ongoing unrest.
About two weeks ago, several states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, experienced fuel queues. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited attributed this to a “hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.” Despite efforts to address this issue, the onset of the hunger protests on Thursday, August 1, 2024, further disrupted the fuel supply, resulting in the reappearance of queues.
Chief Chinedu Ukadike, the National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), informed that marketers were advised to close their stations to avoid asset losses during the protests. He noted that many tankers did not load products during the initial days of the protests, leading to supply chain distortions and fuel shortages in several states.
Although the National President of IPMAN, Abubakar Maigandi, encouraged independent marketers to continue their business with the assurance of security agency protection, the situation remained tense. Security agencies requested marketers to halt sales temporarily to manage the protest and prevent vandalism.
The protests halted petrol loading at Lagos depots, exacerbating fuel scarcity. Depot owners refrained from opening due to fears of violence, despite the readiness of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers to support loading operations. The IPMAN official expressed hope that fuel supply would improve if protests abate, noting that some trucks had begun skeletal operations.
In Lagos, Abuja, Katsina, Delta, and other states, varying levels of fuel scarcity were reported on Sunday. In Warri, Delta State, petrol was sold at between N850 and N1,000 per litre. In Asaba, the price reached N1,000 per litre, while in Rivers State, it ranged between N850 and N870 per litre. Fuel prices in Akwa Ibom State were between N870 and N890 per litre without queues.
Edo State saw limited fuel station operations, with prices between N800 and N830 per litre. In Enugu, petrol was sold at N780 to N890 per litre, with black market prices hitting N1,000 per litre. Kaduna faced severe shortages, with most stations closed and black marketers selling at N1,000 per litre.
In Gombe State, black marketers sold petrol at N1,200 per litre. Resident Johnson Mamedu confirmed the inflated prices, highlighting the worsening situation amid the protests.
The fuel scarcity and price hikes have compounded the challenges faced by residents, with no clear indication of when normal operations will resume.