Amid the persistent petrol scarcity across the country, the federal government, on Saturday, threatened to revoke the operating licences of oil marketers who were found guilty of hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as fuel.
Saturday Telegraph had earlier reported that Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and several other states have been affected by the continued petrol scarcity at some filling stations.
Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), gave the warning during an inspection tour in Abuja.
A video clip shared by the regulator captured Ukoha admonishing filling station managers, stating, “You need to take this (warning) very seriously. If you need security reinforcements, speak to your management.”
Ukoha emphasized that petrol stations must cease selling to black marketers who dispense fuel in jerrycans, citing significant safety concerns associated with such practices.
“Retail petrol stations should stop encouraging the sale of products to black marketers,” he said.
The NMDPRA has declared a crackdown on illegal sales, with the agency’s X handle stating, “NMDPRA embarks on a war against the illegal sale of petroleum products, especially PMS in jerrycans.
Filling stations are advised to desist from servicing illegal peddlers; failure to do so would result in the suspension of retail licences.”
The ongoing petrol scarcity, particularly in northern states, has been attributed to various issues including operational hitches and adverse weather conditions affecting supply chains.
On July 27, Olufemi Soneye, spokesperson for the NNPC Ltd, explained that the disruption was due to a hitch in vessel discharge operations.
“The NNPC Ltd wishes to state that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT is a result of a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels,” Soneye said.
Despite efforts to address the situation, including resolving logistical challenges and restoring normalcy, the scarcity persists.
The NNPC Ltd also noted that flooding had constrained the movement of PMS from coastal corridors to Abuja.