- Major, Independent Marketers Hike Price
By Amos Aar
PETROL scarcity worsened in Makurdi, Benue State capital Wednesday following the sudden increase in price of the product.
Worst affected by the scarcity are all retail outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Makurdi. They were all shut due to alleged lack of products.
National Record reported Wednesday that NNPCL further increased the price of petrol at its filling stations in Abuja and Lagos.
While it increased the price per litre from N885 to N998, in Abuja, the price per litre surged from N895.00 to N1,030.
Major and independent marketers sell petrol from N1,200 to N1,500, depending on location.
A tour by our correspondent in Makurdi revealed that all NNPC filling stations were inoperative as Wednesday.
A security guard at the NNPCL Judges Quarters station attributed the shutdown to non-supply of fuel by the government. He said this situation has lasted for almost a month.
At the North Bank area of Makurdi, there was no sign of operation apparently for over a year as major parts of the filling station were removed.
The NNPC stations along Kashim Ibrahim Road and Makurdi-Aliade-Otukpo Road, which were recently seen dispensing fuel, were also closed due to non-availability of products, according to staff who spoke with National Record.
The closure of all NNPCL stations has created a price vacuum, commercial motorists allege. They complain that the situation has created room for private operators to exploit motorists.
Okada riders alleged that some filling stations were secretly selling to black marketers, who then sold to consumers at inflated prices.
Meanwhile, independent marketers’ filling stations have taken advantage of the situation, with few selling at increased rates.
Nze Oil, Oficon Nigeria Ltd, Kyabiz, Verhemba Nigeria Ltd, Fynefield Nigeria Ltd, and Sylkan Ventures Ltd sold between N1,200 to N1,300 per liter.
Black market price per litre in Makurdi stand at between N1,400 to N1,500, while in rural and remote local government areas, a litre is said to be selling at between N1,600 to N1,800.
