Energy Correspondents Urge Stakeholders to Address Lingering  Fuel Scarcity

Peter Uzoho

The National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) has expressed concerns about the lingering fuel scarcity in Nigeria, urging all relevant government agencies in the downstream petroleum sector to collaborate in arresting the prevailing chaos in the fuel market.

NAEC in a statement issued last night and signed by its General Secretary, Mr. John Meze,  lamented that the development had brought untold hardship to Nigerians and caused huge man-hour loss, which ought to have been put into productive ventures to be wasted at filling stations.

While long queues persisted at stations now selling petrol at N185 per litre in Lagos and over N250 in  other parts of Nigeria, the association stated that other marketers had started to take advantage of the situation, causing serious hardship to Nigerians and dislocation to the market through hoarding and profiteering.

“Black marketers have not only returned, but they have also been smiling to the banks at the detriment of helpless and hapless Nigerians. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stations and marketers, both independent and majors, have hiked their pump prices for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol, for the second time in less than sixty days. The lowest price for the product is now N185 per litre from N175 per litre sold two months ago.” 

º“The low-price band for the product, before this, was N165 per litre,” the association said.

It added that most independent petroleum marketers’ retail outlets have adjusted their pump price to N290 to N300 per liter in tune with current market reality, adding that the development portends grave implications for the already weakened purchasing power and income of the average Nigerian.

According to the association, the high cost of petrol was impacting the daily cost of living as seen in transportation costs, energy costs as many homes continue to rely on alternative sources of power due to the poor supply from the grid and high cost of goods and services.

NAEC further said: “The traffic situation across the metropolis is also worsening as a result of prolonged fuel queues, causing high loss of man hours that could have been deployed to productive activities.

“Though marketers have attributed the present petrol queues across the country to exceptionally high demand and bottlenecks in the fuel distribution chain, it is however clear that the distribution value-chain is broken and worsened by a weak regulatory system.

 “It is bad enough that there is no one to hold to account, it is worse that the government has jeopardised the interest of the masses for politics, considering that elections are near.

“We observe that the major arguments advanced by both government agencies and market players for the lingering fuel scarcity include logistics, price regulation and domestic energy subsidy. However, we also note that energy subsidy is a normal and effective economic growth stimulation strategy still employed by all developed countries of the world to tame the cost of production and guarantee the wellbeing of citizens. The subsidy system in Nigeria has been enmeshed in gross opacity”

It added: “NAEC ,therefore, recommends that NNPCL should ensure a transparent subsidy system that will allow the supply figures and cost templates that provide basis for subsidy claims to be verifiable.

“However, we observe that whereas the price of petrol is still regulated under a state sponsored subsidy scheme, acute shortages and high prices continue to plague the economy. It is our view that all stakeholder groups should liaise with regulators to establish unassailable templates for subsidy management until the market is deregulated.

We therefore call on government to immediately liberalize petrol supplies in the country in line with best practices.

“Also, NAEC recommends that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDRA), which is responsible for operations compliance and resource accountability need to rise to its duty by  holding market players accountable for open books, fair play and equal opportunity.

“ It similarly called on  NMDRA  not to  fail in providing  a public dashboard on the supply flow in the domestic fuel market to allow public demand for accountable practice from players. As  this will clear the air of suspicion that the prevailing fuel market crisis is not a political undertaking by managers of the system to siphon funds for political objectives.”