The Federal Government is threatening to withdraw the operating licenses of oil marketers involved in PMS hoarding, as the queues for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, continued on Friday in major cities across Nigeria.
On Friday, long queues of vehicles were observed at various fuel stations across the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Lagos, Kaduna, Nasaraw and many other states, with many stations closed due to a lack of supply.
In the Kado axis of Abuja Municipal Area Council, some fuel stations, including AA Rano, were selling petrol at N849/litre, while others remained shut.
The petrol scarcity led to frustration among motorists who spent several hours in queues to get the product.
A taxi driver at an NNPC station, who gave his name as Matthew, expressed his concerns, saying, “I’ve been experiencing a lot of challenges due to the scarcity. It’s been a real headache. When you finally get the money, you’re supposed to spend it with happiness and joy, but instead, you’re spending it with sadness.
“As a taxi driver, I’m struggling to make ends meet. I have to work one day just to get fuel and another to do my job. It’s a constant struggle. We’re facing challenges just to survive, and it’s not giving us any joy. We’re struggling in our own country, and it’s frustrating.
“I implore the government to look into this issue and find a solution. We need a better way forward to bring joy and prosperity back to our lives.”
Reacting to the widespread queues across the country, the Federal Government through its Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, declared that filling stations that hoard petrol and those selling to black marketers in jerrycans would have their licences withdrawn.