Fuel Shortage: At N850/liter, Lines Reappear; Drivers and Passengers Suffer

Amid severe traffic congestion, motorists and commuters in Lagos expressed frustration over the sudden fuel shortage, commonly known as petrol.

This has led to increased transport fares by commercial bus operators, including danfos and koropes, within the city.

As a result, fuel queues have reappeared, with many filling stations closed as motorists grapple with soaring fuel prices, reaching as high as N850 at some stations.

This comes just six days before a planned nationwide protest over economic challenges.

By last Friday, fuel queues were already growing longer in the metropolis, with only a few stations dispensing fuel.

On Saturday, apart from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL) stations selling at N650 per liter, other independent marketers were selling between N850 and N950.

It was observed that many filling stations, appearing to be out of stock, were locked up.

Other stations had their gates closed to motorists and other users of petroleum products seeking to purchase fuel.

At the stations that were open, long queues formed due to panic buying, causing traffic jams on roads where fuel was being dispensed.

Officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASTMA) struggled to manage the influx of motorists searching for fuel.

Black marketers have exploited the situation, selling fuel to desperate motorists at exorbitant rates ranging from ₦1,000 to ₦1,400 per liter.

These black market dealers were seen selling fuel in areas like Egbeda, Ikotun, LASU-Iba Road, Ikeja, and Agege.

A danfo driver, identified as Mr. Jude Akpan, told Vanguard that he now spends twice as much on fuel for a single trip and has passed the increased cost on to passengers.

“I bought fuel at N850 per liter from a filling station this morning after waiting for hours in a long queue. I paid N17,000 for 20 liters, which barely covers two trips from Ikotun to Oshodi,” he said.

Investigations revealed that the fare from Ikotun to Egbeda, previously N200, has risen to N500, while the fare to Iyana-Ipaja is now N700, depending on passengers’ bargaining power.

Vehicle owners and other fuel users also lamented the scarcity, fearing it could worsen in the coming weeks if the authorities do not address the underlying cause.