By Omotayo Edubi
The Nigerian government says the scarcity of petrol in parts of the country is caused by the discovery of contaminated products.
The government pointed out that it discovered a dangerous quantity of methanol in petrol imported into the country and is the cause for the latest round of fuel shortage that has led to long queues in Abuja and other major cities.
The government said methanol, a substance that is usually present in petrol, found in the product exceeded Nigeria’s specification.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority said Tuesday that this has led to the affected fuel being kept off the supply chain.
Petrol stations in Abuja on Tuesday morning found that some filling stations were shut against buyers, while others were besieged by motorcyclists, tricycle owners, as well as private and commercial drivers.
Many filling stations in the Wuse, Gwagwalada, Bannex areas of Abuja are sold to buyers at prices ranging from N162 to N165.
Nigerians especially in Abuja and Lagos have endured irregular supply of fuel for nearly a year now; with filling stations operating at reduced ability despite the government’s repeated claims it has enough stocks.
The crisis started in 2021 after the government announced its plan to remove fuel subsidies. Marketers, who the regulators accuse of hoarding the product, have refused to resume normal operations even after the suspension of the subsidy removal plan.
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