Petrol marketers have said fuel scarcity will persist in Lagos and other parts of the country until depots are restocked with adequate and quality products.

The marketers, who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, blamed the current scarcity on the supply of the wrong specification of petrol in parts of the country.

They noted that the directive to withdraw the product from the market even after distribution to many filling stations across Lagos and other areas created a supply shortfall, leading to panic buying.

“As we speak, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd is working to ensure that this disruption to the supply chain is addressed as soon as possible,” a top marketer said.

The marketer added that they battled logistical challenges, including compensating those supplied with the adulterated products.

“The NNPC is working with marketers on this, and once the depots are restocked, tankers will start loading, and supply will improve across the country,” he added. “Until we are able to achieve this, queues will remain at the petrol stations because of the panic already created.”

An independent petroleum marketer, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there had been complaints from some motorists on the fuel quality, which made his station stop selling fuel.

“Some independent marketers are not hoarding products as is being alleged. Some of us were affected by the supply we got, and we are trying to resolve the situation so that we can continue our business,” he explained.

Checks at Ikeja, Iyana-Ipaja, and Abule-Egba areas of Lagos revealed that only a few filling stations were selling fuel. Others, especially those owned by independent marketers, were not open for business.

(NAN)