Fuel scarcity returns to Lagos and Abuja, resulting in long lines and frantic buying.

Following the resumption of long lines and panic buying in some parts of the country, fuel scarcity has risen to the top of Nigerian Twitter’s popular topics.

Fuel scarcity has also caused concern and confusion in key areas of Lagos, the country’s commercial center, particularly along the Island axis.

According to the Guardian, the panic started over the weekend when locals in Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Lekki saw unusually long lines of vehicles at several filling stations as they tried to buy Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as fuel.

While the heightened demand for fuel was linked to a power outage last week following a fire that forced the suspension of Nigeria’s largest power plant, Egbin, from the national grid, the long lines remained yesterday morning despite better power supplies. Long lines formed on Awolowo Road in Ikoyi, causing gridlock along the axis.

The majority of the fuel stations we visited in the city stated they were out of stock. Long lines formed at the few stations that had supplies. Long lines were seen in filling stations from Ojodu-Berger to Lekki, Gbagada, Alapere, Oshodi-Apapa axis, Ajah, Sangotedo, and Mile-2, among other places.

Many commuters on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, including those from Sangotedo and Victoria Garden City (VGC), had a difficult time getting around. Only a few stations on the island (Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Obalende axis) had supply with manageable queues. The situation was the same on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Some commuters resorted to long-distance walking to reach their destinations, while commercial transportation companies took advantage of the situation to raise fees on congested routes. The price from Ajah to CMS, which was previously N400, has been increased to N1,000.

Though the NNPC has always assuaged fears of a disruption in petroleum product supply by ensuring their availability.

Despite reports of shortages in some parts of the country, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has threatened to discontinue haulage services if the Federal Government does not address the rising costs of operation that its members are experiencing.

Yusuf Lawal Othman, the association’s National President, stated in a statement on Monday, February 7, that his members are struggling to stay afloat due to the high freight cost, which is regulated and paid in arrears.

According to a source who talked to Vanguard, the hardship Nigerians are experiencing due to fuel scarcity is due to a lack of petroleum products at depots, but he refused to rule out the possibility that the current scarcity is linked to the elimination of fuel subsidies.