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Residents of Abuja, Nasarawa, and other surrounding states are grappling with long fuel queues at filling stations, despite assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to boost supply.

Motorists have been enduring hours-long waits for fuel since last week, particularly along major routes such as Kubwa Expressway, Airport Road/Lugbe axis, and Nyanya-Jikwoyi Road. While many filling stations are selling fuel at over N700 per liter, NNPCL retail stations offer it at a relatively lower price of N617 per liter.

The prolonged scarcity has led to a sharp increase in transport fares within the Nation’s capital. Commuters report that fares from Airport Junction to Kubwa have risen from N500 to N700, and similar hikes have been seen on routes such as Berger to Kubwa.

Benjamin Olatunji, an Abuja resident, expressed his frustration over the recurrent fuel shortages in Nigeria, a country that produces crude oil. “It is frustrating. We keep having scarcity in a country that produces crude oil. I have been in the queue for nearly 3 hours but have yet to get the product,” he lamented.

Rukiyatu Adamu highlighted the compounded economic hardship caused by the fuel scarcity. “Honestly, Nigerians may be pushed into the Kenya situation if the economic hardship continues unabated. I can imagine a country producing crude but importing its by-product, fuel. To make matters worse, we keep having the issue of fuel scarcity. It is terrible, to say the least. I practically spent my whole day at the NNPCL filling station along Kubwa Expressway on Monday,” she said.

In response to the crisis, NNPCL has urged motorists not to panic buy or hoard fuel. Olufemi Soneye, the company’s spokesperson, attributed the scarcity to logistical issues and flood challenges. “Already, loading has commenced in areas where these challenges have subsided, and we are hoping the situation will continue to improve in the coming days and full normalcy will be restored,” NNPCL stated.