Energy
Another Round Of Fuel Crisis Looms, PMS Goes For N900/Litre
The streets of Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria’s economic and political capital cities, respectively, appear to be drifting into another round of energy crisis, with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, selling for N900/litre.
Biztellers reports that this follows the raising of ex-depot price of petrol from N630 to N720/litre by private depot owners.
The immediate response of petrol stations within the Lagos and Ogun States axis has been to declare scarcity, which has triggered panic among the populace.
It was gathered some dealers were reluctant to purchase products at the new rates from the private depots.
The National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Hammed Fashola, was cited by The PUNCH as declaring that many filling stations did not open for business because they had no fuel in their tanks.
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According to Fashola, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, which is the sole importer of petrol at the moment, should explain to Nigerians what was happening with the product.
In his words, “Those that shut their stations do not have fuel to sell. When you don’t have fuel, you cannot open your station. That is the problem. You know the NNPC is the sole importer of this product. I think it is in the best position to tell us what is actually going on.
“Currently, independent marketers cannot buy what the private depots are selling. They are selling fuel between N715 and N720 per litre. How much will marketers sell the product? Look at the cost of bringing it to their depots; with transportation and other depot expenses, it will be too costly for them. That is why the stations are shut down.
“Some marketers refuse to go and buy because they know the masses cannot afford high-priced petrol in this economy. That is the situation for now.”
Biztellers reports that private depot owners, used to sell petrol to independent marketers at the rate of N630-650/litre, while the NNPC Ltd was selling to major marketers at a price below or around N600.
The pending negotiations between the IPMAN and the NNPC Ltd for direct supplies to its members has not borne fruits.
Biztellers gathered that the NNPC Ltd, instead of seeking a lasting solution was focused on a temporary reprieve by pressuring the private depots in Apapa to prioritise supply to Abuja to dispel mounting fuel queues.
Industry watchers are tracing the short supply to the Lagos and its environs, to the efforts to solve the queues mounting in the Abuja area by shifting supply focus there.
Energy watchers are concerned because the signals appeared too soon after the Reuters averred that Nigeria’s debt to PMS suppliers had surpassed $6bn, doubling the figure as at April. It traced the surge to NNPC Ltd’s failure to bridge the gap between fixed pump prices and international fuel costs.
The Reuters report had asserted that the crisis had long brewed with part of January imports, put between $4bn and $5bn still outstanding to suppliers.
The debt pile-up is being managed, according an unnamed industry source, with “the $250,000 a month (per cargo) for late payment compensation,” the PUNCH wrote.
Even at that, at least two suppliers were said to have stopped participating in recent tenders after hitting self-imposed debt exposure limits to Nigeria, meaning they would not supply more PMS until they receive payments.
As a consequence, Reuters noted, Nigeria’s tenders to buy gasoline in June and July were smaller.
The NNPC Ltd was expected to import via tender about 850,000 tonnes in July, according to the Reuters report quoting sources, down from the typical one million tonnes in previous months.
As that is brewing, some private depot owners have been showing reluctance to supply petrol to independent marketers, who own the larger percentage of the filling stations in Nigeria.
The depot owners on their part, claim they could only distribute what they were supplied by the sole importer, the NNPC Ltd.
One of the depot owners, was cite thus, “Currently, we focus on our filling stations. We get less than 50 per cent of what we usually get from the NNPC now.
So, we make sure we feed our stations first before we consider selling to independent marketers. That is why most of them are out of stock. You know they don’t have access to the NNPC and the little we get is not even enough for our stations,” by The PUNCH.
The IPMAN president had fingered the supply chain, “The current situation is a result of the way private depot owners have been selling their products. It has been very difficult for independent petroleum marketers to get the product and sell it in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as in other states in the North.
“So the queues you are seeing now are because of the cost of PMS by private depots. The private depots are selling at N710/litre, but if you check the price of the same product at NNPC retail outlets, it is N617/litre.
“Therefore, by the time we independent marketers buy from private depots and bring it to our filling stations, we will not be able to sell our product because our cost price is already so high, while the cost at NNPC retail outlets is far lower.
“And you know that when we buy it at the rate of N710/litre we have to add transportation cost again because there is no equalisation. And when we add the cost of transportation, the pump price is going to be higher than the N710/litre ex-depot price, whereas NNPC stations sell at N617/litre.”
He maintained that the number of stations operated by IPMAN, meant that any distortion in the supply of products to its members would eventually lead to fuel queues because major marketers and NNPC stations are fewer.
Joseph Ambakederimo, convener of the South-South Reawakening Group, has questioned the accountability of Nigeria’s crude oil forward sales, demanding clarification on the volume of crude lifted, outstanding balances and the use of upfront payments.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Sunday, Ambakederimo expressed concern over the monitoring of crude oil transactions, questioning who was responsible for tracking deliveries and providing feedback on the arrangements.
“We don’t even know who is monitoring and giving us the feedback of the barrels of crude that have been lifted on forward sales basis,” he said.
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He challenged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to provide details of the transactions, including the quantity of crude already lifted, the outstanding balance and whether the agreed deliveries had been completed.
“Today, can we get this from NNPC? How much have they lifted? What is the balance remaining? Have they been completed?” he asked.
Ambakederimo also questioned how the money collected upfront under the arrangements had been spent, demanding an explanation of its use.
“That money that was collected upfront, what was the use of the money? Can you justify it?” he asked.
He argued that Nigeria should make better use of its natural resources to accelerate infrastructure development and improve living conditions.
Citing land reclamation projects in the United Arab Emirates, Ambakederimo said Nigeria could explore similar opportunities to create additional land for residential and other developments.
He recalled seeing a signpost while travelling from Dubai to Abu Dhabi describing a project to reclaim land from the sea, using the example to highlight the development possibilities he believes Nigeria could explore.
The South-South Reawakening Group convener also argued that Nigeria could reclaim land in suitable areas, provided environmental concerns were properly managed.
He called for the country to translate its natural resource wealth into infrastructure and improved living conditions, stressing the need for greater accountability in crude oil transactions.
Oil output from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rose to record levels in September, underscoring its resilience even amidst the Middle East crises and liberation from OPEC+ limits.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) issued the data in its monthly report, adding that Abu Dhabi raised total oil production, including condensates, by 400,000 bpd to 5.3 MMbpd.
According to the IEA, the UAE bolstered crude output to more than 4.4 MMbpd, nearing its maximum capacity, which surpasses the previous highs for total oil in August, and crude oil in June.
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The UAE has been one of the most successful among regional producers in restoring flows through the Strait of Hormuz, by drawing on a fleet of tankers to discreetly shuttle cargoes through the chokepoint and then transfer them onto other vessels. In addition, the country’s decision to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as of May has freed it from the group’s output caps, a source of frustration for years.
Its gains contributed to a wider recovery in flows from Gulf producers, which reached more than 75% of pre-war levels in September, led by Saudi Arabia, according to the Paris-based IEA.
Still, it’s unclear how far the regional rebound has withstood a new wave of Iranian attacks on tankers transiting Hormuz, and escalating hostilities carried out by the Houthi rebel faction in Yemen.
The UAE depleted its observable above-ground inventories at a record pace of more than 270,000 bpd in September, drawing them to an all-time low, according to the IEA.
Africa’s gas potential and strengthening the continent’s energy security would take centre stage at the Africa Interviews Sustainability Forum (AISF 2026) scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, in Lagos.
Biztellers reports that top officials of Oando Plc and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Ayotola Jagun and Tony Attah, respectively, will be leading other industry leaders in the discussion.
Jagun, Oando’s Executive Director, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, and Attah, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, will participate in a panel discussion alongside Lamé Verre of Lean In Equity & Sustainability (LiNES) and Dapo Filani, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Waltersmith.
The panel will examine Africa’s energy security and the role of natural gas in the continent’s energy transition.
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The forum, launched in 2024, is holding its third edition under the theme, “Energy Security and Africa’s Energy Transition: Defining the Role of Gas.”
This year’s gathering will explore how African countries can strengthen energy security, attract investment in gas development and balance growing energy demand with sustainability objectives.
Verre, a London-based energy and sustainability executive, is Co-founder and Chair of the Advisory Board of LiNES. She will bring her international experience in sustainability, decarbonisation and low-carbon development to the discussion. Her work spans low-carbon initiatives across sectors, including marine, the built environment, forestry, land and agriculture.
Jagun brings extensive experience in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, enterprise risk management and sustainability. Her contribution will provide a corporate sustainability and governance perspective on the relationship between energy development, environmental responsibility and Africa’s transition priorities.
Attah, a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG Limited, has extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, particularly in natural gas development and major energy operations.
Filani leads Waltersmith, an indigenous Nigerian energy company with interests across the oil and gas value chain. His participation will highlight the role of indigenous energy companies in strengthening domestic energy capacity and supporting economic development.
The panel will consider what is required to unlock greater investment in Africa’s gas sector, how natural gas can support industrial growth while advancing sustainability, and what practical measures could help translate the continent’s energy ambitions into tangible outcomes.
Beyond the panel discussion, AISF 2026 will provide opportunities for engagement among senior energy executives, policymakers, investors and business leaders.
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