FG Insists Nigeria Has Enough Petrol in Stock, Says Supply Disruption an Accident

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The federal government has maintained that it has enough petrol in the depots to serve the growing demand, amid the growing queue across the nation.

Updating the press, after receiving a briefing from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Minister of State, Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva, who spoke in Abuja, compared the current situation to an accident.

He stated although not desirable, accidents would happen occasionally, stressing that the situation although not foreseen, was being tamed.

“I am quite happy from what I have heard from the NNPC GMD and the Chief Executive of the Authority, that things are being brought under control,” the minister said.

In the last couple of weeks Nigerians have had to grapple with long queues across the nation to buy the product after off-spec fuel was brought into the country.

But last week, the NNPC said it  had over 1.7 billion litres of the product in stock, enough to meet the country’s demand.

Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, told journalists that the situation was being made worse by motorists who are buying more than they require.

The NNPC boss noted that loading across the nation is now taking place 24 hours a day.