Fuel Scarcity Looms in Abuja and Neighbouring States as Marketers Shut Stations 

Mohammed Shuaibu, Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, mentioned that some stations might close due to product unavailability.

Amid growing concerns over a planned nationwide protest, oil marketers in Abuja and neighbouring states—Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi—shut down their filling stations on Friday.

Retail outlets, including those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Kubwa, Salbas Oil, Eterna, and Gegu Oil, ceased fuel dispensing along the Kubwa-Zuba expressway.

According to PUNCH, similar situations were observed within Abuja and parts of Niger and Nasarawa states, leading to significant disruptions.

Oil marketers confirmed that filling stations in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, were also closed.

This development resulted in the reappearance of fuel queues at outlets such as AYM Shafa in Dei-Dei and NNPC in Zuba, Niger State.

In Lagos, several filling stations shut down, raising fears of impending fuel scarcity. Observations by correspondents revealed that most stations were not dispensing fuel, while the few operational ones sold it at N800 per liter.

Some marketers cited fuel unavailability for the closures, while others attributed it to concerns over the planned protest.

In Ogun State, the situation reached a crisis point, with long queues forming at filling stations. In Magboro and Ibafo areas along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, vehicles, including motorcycles, cars, and buses, lined up chaotically for fuel.

At Quest Filling Station in Magboro, motorists struggled in a queue over a hundred meters long, with only one of three petrol pumps operational.

Saheed, a commercial bus driver heading to Ibadan, expressed frustration after spending over an hour in line. “I didn’t expect such a long queue,” he lamented. “My passengers are complaining, but there’s nothing I can do.” At NIPCO Filling Station in Magboro, diesel was priced at N1,200 per liter, while petrol cost N675 per liter, with four out of five petrol pumps operational.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Heineken Lokpobiri called for calm and urged Nigerians to avoid participating in the proposed protest.

Mohammed Shuaibu, Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, noted that some stations might close due to product unavailability.

He emphasized that the fear of the protest led many marketers to take preventive measures, causing fuel queues as fewer stations remained operational.

Lokpobiri, in a statement issued by his media aide Nneamaka Okafor, urged Nigerians to shelve the planned protest.

He highlighted the need for unity and patience as the government works to address the country’s issues. Lokpobiri stressed the importance of constructive engagement and warned against those who might exploit the protest for malicious purposes.

In Kwara State, no fuel queues were reported, with petrol sold between N600 and N800 per liter. Various filling stations in Ilorin, the state capital, sold fuel at varying prices, indicating no immediate shortage.