Passengers Groan as Fuel Scarcity, Long Queues Hit Lagos, Abuja, Others

29th April 2024

Commuters in Lagos, Osun, Abuja, and Kwara have deplored the increase in fares within the city, owing to the current fuel scarcity.

Similarly, fuel queues have resurfaced in some parts of the state, with most filling stations shut as motorists grapple with skyrocketing fuel prices.

As a result, black marketers have taken advantage of the situation, selling the product to desperate motorists at exorbitant rates of up to ₦1000 to ₦1200 per litre.

In Lagos, some of the usually bustling roads in the early hours of Mondays were strangely quiet, as commercial vehicles have hiked fares by 100 percent.

In Ilorin, Olunlade to Offa Garage, which used to be N100, is now N200; Offa Garage to Mandate Market, which was N200, is now between N350 and N400, depending on the bargaining power.

Mrs Grace Philip, who went to shop at Mandate Market, said the cost of transportation reduced what she was able to buy from the market.

“Already, the money I had with me could not buy all we needed in the house. But I just had to come and manage. On getting to the road, the transportation fare doubled.

”This means the limited money I have will be affected again, which boils down to the fact that what we are going through is unbearable”, Mrs Philip said.

Several filling stations across different parts of the FCT remained closed as the petrol supply crisis, which started a few days ago, worsened.

Apart from Abuja, states like Nasarawa, Niger, and others near the federal capital were also affected by the petrol supply challenge.

This situation has left many commuters stranded.

In Osun, some students and commuters of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) were seen stranded at the varsity’s gate.

However, as vehicle owners and other petrol users lamented the situation, the NNPC Ltd and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the scarcity on logistic challenges.

They, however, assured that normalcy would return this week as product lifting had started by marketers.