Reprieve seems to be coming the way of Nigerians as queues are beginning to vanish from filling stations across major cities after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd intervened in the logistic issues that breached the supply of premium motor spirit (PMS).
On Tuesday In Abuja, filling stations are getting supply with queues disappearing across major locations like Kubwa, Central Area, Wuse, Maitama, and Gwarimpa.
Speaking on the development, a top official said, “The fuel stations round shows that the situation is calm. All stations have products and are selling.”
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Tuesday warned against panic buying, adding that normalcy would return.
The National Secretary of IPMAN, James Tor, said: “If there is no product, then we cannot give out anything. But happily, now, there are products, and the federal government is doing much. Yesterday, our national president was explaining to us that the NNPCL has opened up some of their depots so that we can have products supplied and distributed to the public.
“The President (IPMAN) even called me this morning (April 30, 2024) about the increase in the supply. So, what we are witnessing is just a bridge of what is going on and what is going on.
“But happily enough, I want to announce to the public that there shouldn’t be any panic buying, because when this thing happens, and people start rushing here and there and trying to accumulate the products, that effect will go a long way to affect everybody.”
He explained that Nigeria exists in a global system influenced by the crisis in the Middle East between the Israelis and Iran.
“All these things if we put them together (impacts the Nigerian market),” Tor said, adding “any slightest thing that happens in the world, will affect the supply and distribution of petroleum products”
However, he expressed confidence in the role of the NNPCL in playing in ensuring energy security for Nigerians.
Tor said: “Good enough, an NNPC is ready and has opened up some of the depots so that they will start bringing in our product for distribution. I want to assure you that in any moment from now, you will see that the queues will be going down because they have intensified the supply.
“With what the NNPC is doing, very in a little, few days, you will start seeing the impact of what they are doing because IPMAN is involved.”
