President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has attributed Nigeria’s persistent fuel scarcity to distribution challenges and the neglect of key infrastructure like pipelines and depots.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday evening, Mr. Osifo emphasized that the current shortages would continue to recur intermittently until decisive action is taken to address these underlying issues.
According to Mr. Osifo, Nigeria has around 21 depots strategically located across the country. If these depots were fully operational, the ongoing logistical problems could be mitigated. He explained that the underutilization of these facilities has led to significant distribution challenges, resulting in the frequent fuel shortages experienced by Nigerians.
“Even if the queues go away in the next one week, we cannot guarantee that after another one month, it will not return because we are always going to have challenges in the logistics,” he warned.
Mr. Osifo, who is also the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), suggested that Nigeria should either repair its pipeline infrastructure to ensure coastal areas can supply the hinterlands or establish strategic fuel reserves in each of the six geopolitical zones. These measures, he argued, would create a buffer against future logistical disruptions.
The fuel scarcity crisis has been an ongoing issue since the beginning of the year, with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) citing “logistics challenges” as a key reason. In a statement released on Sunday, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, urged Nigerians to avoid panic buying, assuring that efforts were being made to restore normal fuel distribution.
Additionally, during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Vice President of NNPC Retail, Dapo Segun, pointed to adverse weather conditions as a contributing factor to the scarcity, including impacts from rains, lightning, and thunderstorms, which he claimed were beyond their control.
Despite these assurances, the unending queues at filling stations remain a constant frustration for Nigerians. The situation has been exacerbated since President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidies in May 2023, which has seen petrol prices skyrocket from under N200 per liter to as high as N1,000 in some areas.
Mr. Osifo’s remarks highlight the need for a long-term solution to Nigeria’s fuel distribution problems, which continue to impact the daily lives of millions of citizens across the country.
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