The ongoing fuel crisis in Nigeria shows no signs of stopping soon, even as petrol vessels continue to berth at Lagos and other ports across the country.
Petrol dealers say that the arrival of vessels at the ports is insufficient to resolve the crisis, as Depot owners are currently prioritising their own filling stations due to the limited supply, leaving independent marketers struggling.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) reported that 16 ships were awaiting berth at Lagos ports as of Tuesday. The NPA disclosed this in the latest edition of its ‘NPA Shipping Position’ daily briefing.
According to the NPA, two vessels are set to berth with petrol, while another two will arrive with bulk and butane gas. The 16 vessels will berth at ENL Consortium, AMPT, Apapa Bulk, and Greenview Development Nigeria Ltd. terminals in Lagos. Additionally, nine vessels are currently discharging crude oil, diesel, containers, gasoline oil, and other cargoes at various Lagos ports.
The widespread fuel depot shortages has resulted in significant fuel scarcity and long queues in several states in the country. Black market prices have surged, with petrol selling for as much as N1,300 to N1,500 per litre in parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
Long queues began forming at fuel stations in Abuja and Lagos last Friday and have persisted. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd attributed the fuel supply tightness to a hitch in the discharge operations of several vessels, assuring all stakeholders to resolve the situation and restore normalcy in operations.