A widespread fuel shortage has hit Nigeria, causing fuel prices to skyrocket to N1,300 per litre, with some areas seeing rates as high as N1,500 per litre. The scarcity has resulted in long queues at petrol stations in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Niger, and other states.

Black marketers are capitalizing on the crisis, selling petrol at exorbitant prices in Lagos and Ogun states. The shortage began to be noticeable on Friday, leading to persistent long lines at fuel stations.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) attributed the fuel supply disruption to a hitch in the discharge operations of several vessels. Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, stated, “The tightness in fuel supply and circulation saw in some parts of Lagos and the FCT is due to a hitch in the discharge operations of a number of vessels.”

Despite NNPC’s assurances that they are working with stakeholders to resolve the issue and restore normalcy, the situation worsened over the weekend. Reports from major cities across the country on Sunday confirmed that the long queues at filling stations continued to grow.