The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd. has blamed the fuel scarcity that has led to long queues in filling stations nationwide due to recent rains, lightning, and thunderstorms.
NNPCL’s Vice-President (downstream), Dapo Segun, disclosed this at a press conference at the NNPC towers in Abuja on Tuesday, 20th August 2024, People Gazette reports.
“We’d like to apologise to Nigerians for the queues we’ve been seeing springing up. A number of the causes are outside of our control but we’ll do our best to manage. We do not like to make excuses.
“For example, since the rains began, the Estragos channel has been difficult to navigate through. We have vessel after vessel going around there because of siltation, and that has really hindered our ability to bring petroleum products, particularly PMS, up country.
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“We also understand that with the rains also, situations where to discharge petroleum products where there is lightning, thunderstorms, you have to suspend, not just the discharge of petroleum products onshore but also, the evacuation from the tankers. We’ve had situations that have occurred in recent times.
“We’ve also had issues with the road network. That also gives challenges in bringing these products upcountry. The tightness you see in Lagos currently was due to a very short supply gap, which has since been redressed. Vessels are in Lagos now, offloading and discharging as I speak. So, that is definitely short-lived,” he was quoted as saying.