Fuel Scarcity: Reps Summon Ministers, NNPC Chief

By Adedapo Adesanya

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, passed a resolution to invite the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mr Heineken Lokpobiri; and his counterpart for the gas sector, Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo; over the fuel scarcity being experienced in the country.

The green chamber also summoned the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, over petrol shortages in the country.

This followed a motion of urgent national importance by a member of the House, Mr Umar Ajilo, raising concerns over lingering queues at petrol stations nationwide.

The House expects the Ministers and the NNPC boss to explain the true reason for the scarcity and the measures put in place to bring it to an end. No date has been set for the engagement.

Business Post gathered that queues have resurfaced in the country last week. The lingering scarcity has led to stranded motorists and commuters as petrol now goes for as high as N1,000 per litre, while black marketers rake in as high as N1,500 – N2,000 per litre.

Meanwhile, the House has asked the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to suspend the implementation of the new tariff.

The lower legislative chamber also passed the resolution during the plenary session on Tuesday following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by a lawmaker, Mr Kama Nkemkanma.

In a related development, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to cripple the supply of petrol over non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims.

The debt is being owed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRA).

In a communique released after a press conference on Tuesday, Okolo said NMDPRA failed to pay the N200 billion debt despite a directive for payment from the Petroleum Minister (Oil), Mr Lokpobiri.

The IPMAN deport Chairman claimed that since the directive by the minister in February 2024, only N13 billion had been paid to their members, saying that the unpaid claim had crippled their businesses.

“We are extremely distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the leadership of the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), towards the survival of our member’s businesses, arising from NMDPRA’s deliberate delay and refusal to offset the debt of over N200 billion owed our members, which has consequently led to the deaths of many of our members and the unfortunate collapse of their businesses.”