Hunger Protests: Marketers Halt Fuel Supply, Queues Resurface

Fuel queues have resurfaced at filling stations across Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, due to oil marketers halting the supply of petroleum products. This move aims to protect their assets amidst the ongoing nationwide hunger protests.

Approximately two weeks ago, many states experienced varying degrees of fuel shortages, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) attributed to a “hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.” While efforts were underway to resolve the issue, the nationwide protests against hunger and economic hardship, which began on August 1, 2024, disrupted petrol supply again, leading to the reappearance of queues in some states.

Chief Chinedu Ukadike, the National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), explained the situation to our correspondent. “Marketers were advised to close their stations during the protests to avoid losing their assets,” he said. “Many tankers did not load products during the first and second days of the protest, causing a distortion in the supply chain and resulting in shortages in states where the products would have been supplied.”

Despite IPMAN’s National President, Abubakar Maigandi, urging independent marketers to continue their operations and asking security agencies to protect their facilities, security concerns prevailed. “We were called by the security agencies to step down the selling of products to control the situation during the protests and prevent vandalism,” Ukadike added. “With trucks not moving and depots not working, the supply of petroleum products has been disrupted, leading to scarcity at filling stations.”

On Friday, The PUNCH reported that the protests halted petrol loading at Lagos depots, exacerbating the fuel scarcity. Depot owners refused to open for business due to fears of violence, despite members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) being ready to support fuel loading operations. “The security situation is a drawback,” an anonymous operator confirmed. “Hopefully, if the situation improves later today, loading may continue tomorrow.”

By Sunday, some trucks had resumed skeletal operations, raising hopes for an improvement in the fuel supply situation if the protests abate significantly. “Independent marketers will return to business to address the fuel scarcity gradually,” Ukadike noted. “The protests, particularly during the first and second days, truncated the supply value chain, leading to the current fuel scarcity.”

Ukadike also called on protesters to stop the demonstrations. “The President has heard their demands and pleaded for time to address them. This can only be done when the protests stop,” he emphasized.

Scarcity in States

On Sunday, fuel scarcity was reported in various states, including Lagos, Abuja, Katsina, and Delta. In Warri, Delta State, petrol was sold at between N850 and N1,000 per litre due to non-loading of products by Petroleum Tanker Drivers amidst the protests. Dealers expressed hope that normalcy would return if the protests ceased.

In Asaba, Delta State capital, fuel was sold at N1,000 per litre, with queues reappearing at filling stations. In Rivers State, petrol prices ranged between N850 and N870 per litre in Port Harcourt and its environs.

In Akwa Ibom State, fuel was sold at between N870 and N890 per litre without queues. Edo State saw a few filling stations open on Sunday, selling fuel for between N800 and N830 per litre, with minimal queues.

In Enugu State, petrol prices varied between N780 and N890 per litre, with major marketers selling at N780 per litre and independent dealers at higher prices. Black market prices soared to N1,000 per litre.

Kaduna residents faced a challenging Sunday with no open fuel stations, leaving motorists and road users stranded. Black marketers sold fuel at inflated prices, ranging from N1,000 per litre to N4,500 per gallon, further compounding the hardships caused by the protests.

In Gombe State, black marketers sold petrol at N1,200 per litre, reflecting the dire fuel scarcity across the country. The situation remains uncertain, with no clear indication of when normal fuel supply operations will resume.