Scarcity: NNPC, six oil marketers begin 24-hour fuel loading

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Saturday, said it is working with six major oil marketers to tackle the fuel crisis currently witnessed across the country.
The NNPC, in a statement in Abuja, said this was parts of efforts to flood the market with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, and other products.
According to the NNPC, already, six major marketers: Total, Forte Oil, Oando Plc, MRS, 11 Plc and Nipco Plc, are now loading products round the clock from their various depots in Lagos for onward trucking to all parts of the Country.
It explained that the supplies are mostly from cargoes of PMS imported by it which are daily berthing and immediately being made to discharge their products to stem the supply hiccups.
It also noted that the imported products are being supplemented by supplies from the local refineries.
It said, “NNPC assures Nigerians to remain calm and not to engage in panic buying as the end of the challenge is nigh.
“Marketers are strongly advised against hoarding as security agencies, working with industry regulators, would mete out appropriate sanctions to defaulters.”
The NNPC explained that earlier in the week, its Group Managing Director, Mr. Maikanti Baru, had stated that the Corporation’s one billion litres PMS cargo imports had started to arrive, saying supplies to parts of the country had been doubled to 80 million litres per day since the current hiccup in the supply chain was noticed a few days back.