The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has stated that the ongoing fuel scarcity across the nation will persist for an additional two weeks.

Chinedu Ukadike, the Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, addressed reporters, highlighting the unavailability of the product within the country. He attributed this scarcity to challenges in sourcing the product due to ongoing maintenance activities in most refineries across Europe.

Ukadike cited importation bottlenecks and the slow pace of marketers

Ukadike cited importation bottlenecks and the slow pace of marketers’ license renewal by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) as contributing factors to the acute shortage in supply. He noted that out of 15,000 marketers, only 1,050 have had their licenses renewed by NMDPRA.

According to Ukadike, the situation has led to scarcity and long queues at filling stations. He mentioned that NNPC, the sole supplier of petroleum products in Nigeria, has acknowledged logistical and vessel challenges contributing to the shortage. Ukadike emphasized that disruptions in the international supply chain have impacted domestic supply, particularly due to reliance on imports.

Ukadike also mentioned assurances from NNPC’s Group CEO

Ukadike also mentioned assurances from NNPC’s Group CEO regarding improvements in the supply chain, with vessels arriving to address the issue. He noted that restoring normalcy could take two to three months once the 30-day supply sufficiency is disrupted.

Regarding challenges faced by marketers in license renewal, Ukadike highlighted NNPC’s directive to disallow marketers who haven’t renewed their licenses from remaining on their portal. This has hindered the ability to request new products. He urged NNPC to extend the renewal deadline and NMDPRA to expedite the release of licenses for completed processes, while also reducing bottlenecks in the renewal process.