President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Debo Ahmed, says petrol is still scarce in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs even after the flood that caused traffic gridlock in Lokoja, Kogi State, has receded because of the supply gap the blockade created.
Since early October, there have been long fuel queues in some of the filing stating in Abuja with many others not selling the product.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) had blamed the flood taking over highways in Lokoja for the scarcity.
But days after the flood has receded, the scarcity of the petroleum product has persisted in Abuja and its environs.
The IPMAN’s president attributed the current scarcity to the break in supply of the product.
“They (suppliers) have to up their load from the depots to meet up because as it is coming, people are buying. A lot of people are thinking there is still the issue (scarcity) so they will queue. It is not that there is no product, there is a lot of product in the depots. So, it is because of the break in supply of the product that is still causing the scarcity.”
