Fuel Crisis: Ships Dispatched To Speed Up Fuel-Distribution Over Scarcity, Says NMDPRA (View Details)

Fuel Crisis: Ships Dispatched To Speed Up Fuel-Distribution Over Scarcity, Says NMDPRA (View Details)

In a bid to address the ongoing fuel scarcity in parts of the country, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has revealed that fuel products are being transported by ships to depots across the nation to expedite distribution.

The Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, disclosed this to journalists after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja.

Ahmed explained the recent disruptions in fuel supply were due to safety concerns caused by rough seas, which suspended ship-to-ship transfer operations, and flooding in Lagos, which hindered truck loading and movement.

Despite these challenges, Ahmed assured that the country has a 20-day fuel sufficiency, comprising 12 days offshore and eight days onshore.

He emphasied that the authority is working to transfer the offshore stock to onshore depots, which will alleviate the scarcity.

The movement of fuel products by ships to depots in other parts of the country is expected to fast-track the buildup of onshore stock, ensuring a comfortable supply of fuel nationwide.

“Obviously offshore, there were a lot of soil and destabilization and it was very difficult to continue our STS, that is shipping operations in terms of ship-to-ship transfer because of safety. So the ship-to-ship transfer operations were suspended because of the volatile nature of the high sea at the time.

“So those two days of delays, because of safety reasons, created that gap and that gap manifested. On top of that as well, there were floods in Lagos that disrupted truck loading and truck movement because of the floods so the trucks were now more like held back”.

“I did briefed Mr. President just now that we have like 20 days sufficiency; 12 days offshore and about eight days sufficiency of onshore, but what is important is to translate the offshore to onshore and that’s why I must mention it to you earlier that the movement of shipping to other parts of the country will fast track the onshore build up of the stock and once we have the stock in onshore spread across the various depots in the country, then you’ll see a lot of comforts coming in,” Ahmed said.