There is a heightened sense of anxiety in Lagos State as queues for Premium Motor Spirit, (petrol) has resurfaced as motorists throng filling stations in panic buying to fill up their tanks.
The new development is coming days after scarcity surfaced in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
On Monday, long queues were noticed in some filling stations in the metropolis resulting in panic buying from motorists.
At some filling stations in Ikorodu, Alagbado, Ikeja, Maryland, Festac and some other areas, sales of the commodity were restricted to two or three pumps even as many other filling stations shut down services.
An attendant at TotalEnergies in Festac town told TheCable that the scarcity is likely due to a rumoured increase in petrol price.
“Our customers have also said they noticed the same queues. In fact, this morning, we didn’t get supplies until 9 am today. I am very sure we will shut down before 6 pm today,” he said.
Last week, the South-West zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) threatened to direct its members to increase petrol and diesel pump prices.
Dele Tajudeen, IPMAN zonal chairman in the South-West zone, had claimed that his members had been unable to buy the products from any of the government-owned depots for the past six months, forcing them to purchase from private depot owners who had continued to take advantage of the situation.
It would be recalled that in February, Nigerians experienced petrol scarcity which lasted for over one month caused by the recall of off-spec petrol in circulation.
It would be recalled also that reports had emerged that petrol scarcity could be imminent as available statistics showed the country is experiencing extreme low crude oil production.
In May, Nigeria’s oil output dropped to 1.02 million barrels per day (1.28 million including condensate) — the lowest figure in record time.
