Fuel scarcity may have resumed in Lagos, Ogun states and their environs as motorists began panic buying, on Monday, resulting in long queues at filling stations.
Speaking with the Tribune Online on possible causes of the scarcity, an industry source who preferred anonymity stated that the situation is expected "since only the NNPC imports refined petroleum products. Marketers are yet to resume importation because of non-payment of subsidy claims/debt owed by the Federal Government."
He said until President Muhammadu Buhari settles down properly and inform Nigerians about his economic policy, "especially as it relates to downstream operations, product scarcity will be a perennial problem."
The Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Mr. Austin Avuru, had, on Friday, warned that Nigeria will probably be hit by fuel shortages in three weeks due to lack of fund to pay subsidy claims.
Nigeria was almost grounded to a halt last month during the country’s worst fuel shortage in a decade due to a dispute between oil-product marketers and the former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration.
Efforts to speak with spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Ohi Alegbe, proved abortive as his number could not be reached as of press time.
-Tribune
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