Fuel Scarcity Looms As NNPC Portal Closes

In a worrying development, petroleum marketers have sounded the alarm over a potential fuel shortage, as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) portal used for the purchase of petrol has been shut down against dealers, making it impossible to apply for the commodity.

According to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), this situation has resulted in more than 2,000 pending tickets for the purchasing of 45,000 liters of petrol, with an estimated cost of N79 billion.

This scenario raises fears of another round of fuel scarcity nationwide, as the closure of the portal, which was intended to prevent NNPCL from holding marketers’ funds for extended periods, has had unintended consequences for the supply of petrol.

With a significant backlog of orders to address, NNPCL has admitted to the portal’s closure, assuring that it will soon be reopened once the backlog is sufficiently reduced.

The closure of the NNPCL portal comes at a time when Nigerians are already grappling with high energy costs, following a price increase for petrol in September after lifting the product from Dangote Refinery.

As the nation navigates this turbulent landscape, the potential for widespread fuel scarcity only adds to the concerns of Nigerian citizens, who are increasingly struggling to cope with the high costs of living.

With the NNPCL portal yet to be reopened, the oil and gas sector finds itself in a precarious position, as market forces and government policies continue to shape the course of Nigeria’s energy future.

References and Citations:

• Thenigerialawyer – NNPC portal closure leaves oil marketers with N79bn worth of unfulfilled petrol order
• Punch – NNPC portal shutdown delays Petrol supply marketers
• Daily Post – Fuel scarcity looms as NNPC portal closure delays petrol Supply