AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&G

As Nigerians raised concerns over re-emergence of long queues at fuel stations across major cities, the Federal Government has disclosed that it has identified and addressed what could have been responsible for the shortage in supply.

The government indicated that what may have been responsible for panic buying of petrol products in some parts of the country including Lagos and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, was the number of petroleum products that were impounded after being discovered not the preferred standard used in the country.

According to the central government, the impounded products were already adulterated petrol, fuel with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in the supply chain, which has since been isolated before it causes damages to vehicles and machines that depends on the products across the country.

Through a statement released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, the government disclosed that the quantity was discovered during a routine check of supply chains brought into the country.

The statement reads in part: “To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit

Our technical team in conjunction with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ltd and other industry stakeholders, will continue to monitor and ensure quality petroleum products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide.

“The source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the Authority and NNPC Ltd.

“NNPC Ltd and all Oil Marketing Companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of Petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.

“Meanwhile, NNPC has intensified efforts at increasing the supply of Petrol into the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap”