Residents of the Federal Capital Territory are currently facing severe fuel shortages following the unexpected closure of several retail outlets operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited in Abuja.
The stations, which have been shut for days, are reportedly under directives from the national oil firm’s management and will remain closed until next week.
According to The PUNCH, the closures, linked to logistical challenges have caused long queues at the few available fuel stations, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours.
When The PUNCH visited several NNPC stations on Wednesday in areas such as Lugbe, Airport Road, Zone 3, Lifecamp, and Kubwa, attendants were seen sitting idle while turning away motorists due to a lack of fuel.
An attendant at the NNPC station in Garki, who requested anonymity, said, “We’ve been dry for two days now. There is simply no product to sell. We are awaiting directives from our suppliers.”
A similar situation was reported at the Kubwa station, where an attendant named Peter confirmed they had sold out their old stock and were yet to receive fresh supplies.
“We finished our old stock yesterday. We only do not have products for today. We are expecting supplies and will definitely have them by tomorrow. But we have gas available for sale today,” he said.
The station manager at the Life Camp outlet also confirmed the issue, attributing it to internal adjustments within NNPCL.
While declining to disclose his name, he explained, “The reason why there has been no fuel in most of our stations in Abuja here in recent weeks is due to some internal adjustments/programmes being done at the management level. But there’s no cause for alarm as it is being settled, and a few NNPC stations have started getting fuel and selling to customers. Very soon, between now and next week, hopefully, we are supposed to have fuel here as well. The price still stands at 965 naira per litre.”
It was further learned that the immediate impact of the closure was delayed because some mega stations continued selling from their old stock.
However, the fuel scarcity has now caught many residents off guard, causing widespread frustration.
Attempts to reach NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye for clarification were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to messages sent to his line.
However, an insider attributed the situation to unforeseen logistical problems, saying, “We have product in all our depots, but we had some logistics challenges.”
Motorists have been left with little choice but to turn to independent marketers, who are selling at higher prices.
A driver expressed his displeasure with the situation, stating, “I am disappointed with how this situation is being handled. Now I have no choice but to patronise independent marketers who sell at a higher rate.”
