The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has directed all its depots and outlets to begin 24 hours operations to address the fuel scarcity across the country.
NNPC Group Executive Director (Downstream), Mr Adetunji Adeyemi, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja amid the growing concerns over the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol.
“In order to accelerate PMS distribution across the country, NNPC limited has commenced 24 hours operations at its depots and retail outlets nationwide,” he said at a news conference in the nation’s capital.
Adeyemi revealed that the company has several million litres of petrol in stock, adding that they were expecting about 2.3 billion litres of petrol in the country by the end of the month.
He stated that the retail outlets of major oil marketers have also commenced 24 hours service to ensure that more motorists were attended to daily.
“To address the (fuel scarcity) situation, over 2.3 billion litres will arrive the country between now and end of February 2022,” the NNPC group executive director said. “This will restore sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days.
“As of today, NNPC has over one billion litres of petrol in stock and the petrol being dispensed at the various filling stations in the country is safe.
“Similarly, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), and Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN), and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) members have commenced 24 hours loading and dispensing activities in some of their designated outlets across the country.
“Furthermore, NNPC has constituted a monitoring team with the support of the authority and other security agencies to ensure smooth distribution of petrol nationwide.”
Adeyemi made the announcement as a precautionary measure as the situation worsens in Abuja, Lagos, and some parts of the country where hundreds of motorists are left stranded on long fuel queues at the few filling stations dispensing petrol.
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