Saturday, April 18, 2026

Petrol Scarcity: ‘Black marketers’ flood Abuja roadsides

NNPC had advised motorists to stop panic buying, as it has no plan to increase the ex-depot price in March.

• March 1, 2021
Roadside fuel sellers
Photo of roadside fuel sellers used to illustrate the story [Photo Credit: Abuja Times]

Roadside sellers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called ‘black marketers’ have resurfaced on major expressways in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who went round the city centre on Monday, reports that only a few fuel stations were dispensing to motorists amid long queues.

However, most fuel stations on Kubwa Expressway and Central Business District including Gegu Oil, AA Rano, Shema petrol station were selling to motorists.

Roadside sellers interviewed by NAN on Kubwa Expressway and Gwarinpa Estate declined to disclose how they sourced their products, as they sold 10 litre of fuel for between N5000 and N6000.

Commenting, Chinedu Okwonkwo, President of Independent Petroleum Marketing Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the problem on panic buying.

“Nigerians should stop panic buying; the NNPC has assured that it will not increase the ex-depot price of PMS in March.

“Some of our members, who stopped selling for fear that they may not be able to buy products, have agreed to start selling.

“I am sure that by tomorrow things will normalise because the NNPC said that there is 40 day product sufficiency in the country,’’ he said

Meanwhile, NNPC had advised motorists to stop panic buying, as it has no plan to increase the ex-depot price in March.

“Contrary to speculations of imminent increase in the price of PMS in the country, the NNPC has ruled out any increase in the ex-depot price of petrol in March.

“The corporation is not contemplating any rise in the price of petrol in March in order not to jeopardise ongoing engagements with organised labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose ordinary Nigerian to any hardship,” spokesperson for NNPC, Kennie Obateru said.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

JAMB

Education

JAMB releases 632,788 UTME results, warns against score manipulation

Candidates who wrote the examination on Thursday, April 16, 2026, are now available for viewing.

Displaced women in Gaza war

World

Over 38,000 women, girls killed in Gaza in two years: UN 

Mr Doraid called for adherence to the ceasefire and international law.

U.S. President Donald

World

U.S. blockade to “remain in full force” despite Strait of Hormuz reopening, says Trump

Oil prices, which had soared as high as $111 per barrel, fell to $89 on Friday.

Bright Edafe

States

Delta: Police rescue kidnap victims, nab five suspects

According to him, the criminals forcefully took the victims into the bush.

World

Petrobras cashes in $22 billion on oil amid backlash over renewable energy budget cut

In its 2026–2030 business plan, Petrobras slashed funding for energy transition initiatives by 20 per cent.