Fuel Shortage Intensifies in Kwara State

Reports from NewsNow indicate that the ongoing fuel crisis in Nigeria is having a severe impact on Kwara State.

An unidentified source at a TotalEnegies outlet in Ilorin, the state capital, disclosed that the situation is dire. The source mentioned, “We have been stuck in Lagos for a week now without any petrol supply. The depot in Lagos is completely empty, and despite the long queue of petrol tankers waiting to load, there is no sign of receiving fuel. With demand surpassing supply, repercussions are inevitable.”

Another explanation for the fuel scarcity was attributed to the delay in the commencement of petrol production by the Dangote Refinery. The NNPC, which used to be the primary petrol importer, has halted imports in anticipation of the Dangote Refinery’s production initiation and subsequent public supply.

Commuters in Ilorin are facing challenges dealing with transport service providers who have raised fares for both short and long-distance trips.

Street-side petrol vendors are now selling a liter for prices ranging between N1,000 and N1,400. Meanwhile, a few public fuel stations are selling petrol to consumers at prices ranging from N850 to N1,000 per liter, depending on the location.

There are plans for officials from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to monitor compliance with the official petrol pump price set for independent fuel marketers in the state capital starting tomorrow, Monday.

Despite the persistent long queues at stations with available stock, commuters are enduring extensive delays on major roads in the state capital due to the fuel crisis. The shortage has limited the number of commercial transport providers on the highways as they struggle to acquire fuel.