The Federal Government (FG), has revealed that there is fuel scarcity in some parts of the country due to the discovery of methanol in petrol.
In a statement cited by BizWatch Nigeria, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said petrol, petrol, with methanol quantities above the country’s specification, was discovered in the supply chain.
According to the agency, the supplier had been identified and appropriate sanction would apply.
It also said oil marketers had been directed to ensure sufficient supply of petrol in all outlets in the country.
This revelation is however contrary to insinuations by some oil marketers, who blamed the fuel scarcity on the suspension of removal of subsidy.
As earlier reported, several filling stations in Abuja, neighbouring states, and Lagos, have refused to sell petrol to consumers, a development that signaled fuel scarcity in the country.
The refusal of some filling stations to sell fuel has led to anxiety and confusion, as oil marketers were still unsure about moves to halt petrol subsidy, considering the fact that the government had projected in 2021 that it would stop it in February 2022.
It was however gathered that some members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) had discontinued operations in protest against the low freight rate for petrol which they receive from the government.
Confirming the development, the National President, NARTO, Yusuf Othman, told journalists in Abuja that “our people have parked their trucks and more people are going to park (theirs).”
The National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Ukadike Chinedu, also stated that the fear over subsidy withdrawal had been in the minds of both private depot owners and some retailers, leading to product shortage at filling stations.
“I’ve explained to you that DPOs are studying the situation around subsidy since the government has been making various statements on this matter and this has its way of affecting the market,” he revealed.
