By Dare Olawin

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on Monday began offloading 240 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise called petrol, as it stepped up efforts to tackle the worsening nationwide petrol scarcity.

As the NNPCL began offloading petrol, filling stations sold the product at an average price of N800 per litre in various locations.

One of our correspondents gathered that the 240 million litres of petrol imported into the country came in through five vessels, which were offloaded into five depots on Monday.

The South-West Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Ayo Cardoso, confirmed this in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday.

The PUNCH reported on Monday that despite claims by the NNPC that the logistic issues causing fuel scarcity had been addressed, Nigerians in Lagos and other parts of the country still struggled to get fuel as many filling stations remained shut.

The PUNCH independently gathered that the situation might worsen in Lagos and other parts of the South-West because there was a directive by the NNPC that fuel trucks must first service the Federal Capital Territory before any other places.

According to oil sector sources, hundreds of trucks loaded were sent to Abuja on Sunday based on the NNPC directive.

Our correspondents who visited filling stations across the country on Monday observed that many outlets hiked their pump prices, selling a litre of petrol between N650 and over N1,000.

As the stations increased the pump prices of fuel, it was learnt that black marketers also used the opportunity to make brisk business, selling a litre of petrol at prices of over N1,200/litre, depending on the location and the bargaining strength of the buyer.

It was also observed that the hardship being encountered as a result of fuel scarcity worsened on Monday. The queues in filling stations became longer as work resumed across the nation for the new week.

The fuel scarcity also coincided with the resumption of public schools in some states, adding to the burden on parents, teachers and school owners.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the NMDPRA regional coordinator said the agency was doing its best to ensure Nigerians were not exploited by filling stations.

“We are doing something about the fuel crisis; very soon it will be over. Vessels are discharging as I am talking to you. What we are concentrating on is to push the NNPC, which is the supplier of last resort, to make sure they wet the entire populace.

"So, we have about five vessels already discharging the product, about 240 million litres are being discharged as I am talking to you right now. We are working round the clock.

"But then, once you have a problem, it takes like one or two weeks to (normalise), but people will keep on panicking, which is not supposed to be. All these kinds of things disrupt the normal way of operations. But with 240 million litres coming in from five vessels discharging to five depots already today, things will get back to normal,” Cardoso assured Nigerians.

Scarcity spreads

Our correspondents noted that the few filling stations dispensing fuel on Monday were crowded by private and commercial drivers, motorcyclists as well as individuals with jerry cans.

The queues were seen in Abuja as well as Lagos, Ogun, Niger, Nasarawa, Gombe and other states.

The Heyden filling station in Iperu Remo, Ogun State sold petrol at N650 per litre on Monday amid fights among buyers who thronged the station from places like Isara, Ode, Ilishan and others.

A motorist, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said he had been in the queue since 5am, yet he was unable to buy petrol as at noon.

"Look at me, I have been here since 5am, yet I couldn’t get fuel up till noon. I came here from Isara. There is no fuel in other places. This station belongs to the governor, maybe that’s why it is selling at the rate of N650 per litre. A few others around us sell petrol for N800 or more,” the motorist, who identified himself as Ismail, told The PUNCH.

A young man dressed in TotalEnergies uniform was sighted at the Heyden filling stations with two jerry cans filled with PMS.

The man, who did not reveal his name, stated, “I came here to buy fuel because we don’t have fuel in our station. I spent hours in the queue despite being an attendant myself. We don’t know why there is no fuel, but we heard that everybody is waiting for May 1 to know if the president would say something about fuel price reduction or not”.

https://punchng.com/petrol-hits-n800-as-240-million-litre-vessels-arrive/?amp

FTC! Well, it is expected. So what's with Dangote's bragging in the past weeks?

Nawa...

Good news.
According to one Hellanus and Rottenbbq Tinubu is the best president. He don turn Nigeria around to be the best in every expect. The Igbos and Peter Obi is the problem of Nigeria.
Peter Obi please reduce the price of fuel ooooo, why are you wicked like this? You increase dollar now you’re increasing fuel price. Peter Obi I’m warning you now oooo. I’m still waiting for one Reno Mockery that can’t boast of $1000 to come and give us analysis how Peter Obi was unable to sustain fuel price during his tenure.

Noted.

A shame to Tilupu. What is d essence of subsidy removal? We are not bless with cerebral leaders but those who govern with trial by error.

Not until the youth decides to take back this country by revolution. We are in trouble.

All APC leaders will be disgraced.

No Be Small Thing ooooo

We don enta one chance with APC as a party

Nigeria is in mess

Tinubu is nothing but a disaster. I wonder how those supporting and defending him sleep at night.

government of shame
you remove subsidy without building a refinery
increase electricity tariff without increasing generation of electricity
you keep updating us on the gain of naira everyday but now that it is lossing you all are quiet
you guys wants to construct costal highway what will happen to all delipidated federal roads across the country
you guys are aware of the soaring prices of goods and services but choose not to increase workers salary or assist the masses
what a wicked government
a government that pride itself with shame

Ok na

The useless APC Government is struggling to keep up to subsidy payments.

So the idea is to hoard, then increase the price to 900 upwards. As usual, Nigerians will moan for a few hours and that's it.

Agbadorians be prepared, this Price increase must favour you and your families.

Nigerians don’t love Nigeria.

we warned,we groaned but they said he's next best thing to sliced bread, now see the deep mess they've dragged everyone to

Nigerians were warned before the presidential election that Tinubu government will be a disaster to the country and her citizens , but they didn't take the advice serious . Oya E don happen

I bought at 810 on Sunday along gwagwalada zuba highway

Buhari closed the border because of rice importation and fuel smuggling yet rice is more expensive and fuel now scare and expensive. APC is actually a confuse party which doesn't have plan to control the economy. They just want to mark register that they once ruled this country.

After all the noise on pH refinery. They are still importing fuel

Where is the dangote refinery ?

So we are still importing fuel? And you expect the dollar to not keep rising? This government are useless and stupid. They are a bunch of idiotic corrupt fools who spend time paying stupid boys to keep posting their propaganda on social media instead of doing real work that benefits the masses

The dollar is definitely going back to N2000 with this bunch of clueless loud mouthed crooks handling the country.

They made so much noise about dangote refinery starting , then made noise about selling crude in Naira , then made noise about port Harcourt refinery starting , then made noise about , dangote selling fuel in Naira . Now they just spent millions of dollars to import fuel!!! What a bunch of mad idiots.
Dollar is definitely going to shoot up to N2000 after this.

Tinubu. Is a scam !!! A fraud , he was packaged as the best thing after jollof rice ,but the reality we are seeing is a far cry from what we expected.

To every action, there's equal and opposite reaction. It starts from the campaign, down to the voting process. Now campaign is over, reality has settled down...

No propaganda can erase the truth that the APC government lacks organisation, foresight and preparedness

Nigerians should learn and learn harder. Suffering knows no tribe, region or religion

Nigeria is a joke. A seasoned comedy.
Naira I best performing currency from 300/1$ to #1,800 down to #1,639/1$.
Then it will not be better for those who asked questions, enemies of the country while APC and Bola Tinubu are friends of the country...

RichDad1:
Nigerians don’t love Nigeria.

Be precise, which segments of nigerians

Welcome to stage 3 of the Next Upper Level.

Lol

That a one week supply at most.

Fareke:
By Dare Olawin


https://punchng.com/petrol-hits-n800-as-240-million-litre-vessels-arrive/?amp

so CBN governor is working under NNPC?

Country is on autopilot

Thought they said dangote refinery is not at the operational stage.

emilokan, emilokan,
Baba wey no well him dey shout emilokan,
hand dey shake,
leg dey shake,
Baba wey no well him dey shout emilokanemilokan