The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has attributed the fuel queues in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and parts of the country to disruptions in the ship-to-ship transfer (STS) of fuel due to recent thunderstorms. These disruptions have affected the movement of fuel between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels, as well as operations at jetties, truck load-outs, and transportation to filling stations.
Dapo Segun, the Executive Vice President, Downstream of NNPC Ltd., emphasized that adverse weather conditions, including rainstorms and lightning, have hampered the safe discharge of petroleum products. This has led to delays in truck loading at depots and overall logistics challenges in supplying fuel to stations.
To mitigate the situation, NNPC Ltd. has announced several measures. Fuel stations are instructed to operate longer hours to enhance petrol availability, and there is a concerted effort to collaborate with marketers to redistribute stocks more effectively among stations. This initiative aims to reduce long queues and ensure a smoother distribution of fuel across affected areas.
Furthermore, Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), assured the public of efforts to prevent hoarding and monitor stations for compliance. He emphasized that there are no plans to increase fuel pump prices and reaffirmed the commitment of both NNPC Ltd. and NMDPRA to ensuring energy security and stable pricing.
The regulatory bodies are actively monitoring the situation and working towards operationalizing national strategic stocks to further stabilize supply and prices in the future.