Fuel price hike: Petrol scarcity lingers, as NNPCL bars Independent Marketers

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has reportedly stopped the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, amid the product price increase on Tuesday.

The development comes as the pump price of fuel hit N855, N897 to N1000 in major filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos, Delta and Enugu states upon NNPCL’s upward price review.

Meanwhile, Independent marketers sold at N1,200 and N1,300 per liter in some states following the upward review of prices by the NNPCL.

But despite the petrol pump price hike, the majority of filling stations are not dispensing fuel in major cities across the country.

Consequently, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed that NNPCL had barred its members from getting petrol at depots.

“Yes, our tickets were suspended for loading. They have not been attending to us since yesterday (Tuesday), and there is no official communication yet”, he said.

However, when contacted by reporters the National President of IPMAN, Abubakar Maigandi he was yet to speak on the matter as of the time of filing the report.

Similarly, the Spokesperson of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye has not reacted to the development.

It was gathered that since the upward review of petrol price, NNPCL has not officially made any announcement regarding the matter.

This comes as tricycle operators in Delta State took to the streets protesting the petrol price hike.