After weeks of fuel scarcity that has pushed up the pump price of petrol, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has finally provided a reason for the long queues experienced in Lagos, Abuja, and some other major cities.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday the NNPC Executive Vice President, Downstream, Adeyemi Adetunju blamed the fuel scarcity and long queues at the filling stations on some road projects going on in Lagos.

Adetunju, however explained that the gridlock is easing as the NNPC has programmed vessels and trucks to unconstrained depots, with massive load outs from depots to various states being closely monitored.

“The recent queues in Lagos are largely due to ongoing road infrastructure projects around Apapa and access road challenges in some parts of Lagos depots,” he said. “The gridlock is easing out and NNPC has programmed vessels and trucks to unconstrained depots and massive load outs from depots to various states are closely being monitored.”

“Abuja is impacted by the challenges recorded in Lagos. NNPC Retail and key marketers have intensified dedicated loading into Abuja to restore normalcy as soon as possible.”

“We want to reassure all Nigerians that NNPC has sufficient products, and we significantly increased product loading including 24-hour operations in selected depots and extended hours at strategic stations to ensure products sufficiency nationwide,” he assured.

“We are also working with the NMDPRA, MOMAN, DAPPMAN, IPMAN, NARTO, PTD, and other industry stakeholders to ensure normalcy is returned.”

He also assured Nigerians that efforts are ongoing to ensure that normalcy returns as soon as possible, adding that the NNPC has a “national PMS stock of over 2 billion litres, an equivalent to over 30 days of sufficiency”.