The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has shed light on the cause of the long queues at certain filling stations in Lagos State. According to the NNPCL, the situation, termed as “tightness,” arises from a temporary distribution challenge.
Reports from The Media Talk Africa had indicated long queues at several filling stations in Lagos on Monday, fueling fears of an imminent scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). Queues were observed at stations along the Ikorodu Road and the Total Filling Station at Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, causing traffic congestion around the Ikeja axis. Additionally, numerous filling stations from Ikeja through Obafemi Awolowo Road, as well as those along Ogunnusi Road inbound Berger, were non-operational.
Addressing these concerns, NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, assured that there were no supply issues, emphasizing the continued availability of their products. Soneye attributed the recent tightness to a brief distribution issue in Lagos, stating that the matter had been promptly resolved. “We are pleased to confirm that there are no supply issues, and our products remain readily available. The recent tightness experienced in certain areas was due to a brief distribution issue in Lagos, which has since been resolved,” said Soneye.
Similarly, National Vice Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, suggested that the queues might stem from customer panic-buying rather than an actual scarcity. He expressed his intent to investigate the situation further to ascertain the root cause.
On the other hand, the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, was not informed about the situation, being away from Lagos at the time of reporting.
