Black marketers sell petrol at N350 a litre as scarcity worsens in Lagos

Queues for petrol spread to several filling stations in Lagos even as black marketers sold the product for N350 a litre. 

Several sellers told Newsmen on Monday that they sold the product between N320 and N350 per litre.

“We used to sell the product for N250 before now. But as the product has increased at fuel stations, we had no choice but to increase our price to N350 a litre,” a seller in Satellite Town said.

On Monday, TheCable witnessed queues across some filling stations while some others shut down services in the state — a situation motorists have had to put up with for about one week.

Long queues were seen at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited filling stations at Ishefun road, Ayobo and Oregun road, and Opebi, Ikeja. 

Motorists also crowded an attendant at the Conoil filling station in Oregun and another at the filling station in Ikeja.

On the other hand, the MRS filling station at Ojota was closed due to lack of adequate supply, according to a petrol attendant.

“The petrol station is closed because the supply we got is not enough. However, later in the day, we may still open later. We are still expecting more supplies later,” he said.

Eterna filling station in Oshodi was also closed. 

Across the state, transport fares have also increased due to petrol scarcity.

“The price of the fare increased from N150 to N200,” a commuter said 

“I had to queue under the sun for 12 minutes to board a minibus. Just imagine. Yesterday, I also had to queue to get petrol. It is tiring.”

In a phone interview with TheCable, Mike Osatuyi, national operations controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), said limited petroleum products at depots caused the scarcity.

“We don’t have fuel. If there is fuel, then we have something to sell. The little that’s available, we are buying at N205. When you add transport, that’s about N213 before you can add your profit. That’s the truth,” Osatuyi said.

“Even if you want to buy at N205 now, you won’t even see to buy.

“NNPC said the fuel is available, but we don’t see it. If we are able to see the fuel, that’s the only way we can confirm that the product is available. Let’s wait and see for the next few days.”