The scarcity of petrol around Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos, appears to be easing out, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.

The state-run Newswire said some retail outlets it monitored on Friday in Ikeja, Abule-Egba, Iyana-Ipaja, and Oshodi areas of the state were opened and dispensing fuel.

It was also observed that vehicular queues had reduced in some of the stations which were selling petrol between N162.5 and N165 per litre.

Mike Osatuyi, the national operations controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), confirmed that some of the stations had received a supply of on-spec products.

“They have received cargo already and they are discharging. So we should be experiencing more improved fuel supply this weekend,” Mr Osatuyi said.

He noted that the importation of off-spec petrol into the country could have been averted if those saddled with certain responsibilities had done their jobs properly.

Mr Osatuyi said going forward, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. and its trading partners, as well as other regulatory agencies, should ensure that due process was followed at all times.

He described the importation of sub-standard petrol as an embarrassment to the government and to Nigerians, and such should never be allowed to reoccur.

The scarcity was caused by the suspension of loading PMS for some days following the importation of a vessel of PMS containing methanol above the specified volume that was imported into the country.

(NAN)