Petrol Scarcity: Marketers Blame Thunderstorm, Lightning

Petroleum marketers under the aegis of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, has urged Nigerians not to embark on panic buying in the face of recent scarcity of petrol in some parts of the country.

The marketers said the current shortfall of the products in Lagos and other parts of the country is due to bad weather.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NANS, reports that the remark was made by MEMAN Secretary General, Clement Isong in Lagos.

According to Isong, the product shortfall in most stations was due to adverse weather and thunderstorms that delayed ship-to-ship (STS) trans-loading, among others.

Other problems, he said, included berthing at jetties, truck load-outs and transportation of products to filling stations, creating a disruption in station supply logistics, amongst others, adding that the marketers are complying with warning from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, to them to avoid loading during rainstorms and lightning because of the flammable nature of petroleum products.

“Any deviation from these regulations poses significant danger and risks, including fatalities. We wish to reiterate that there is no cause for alarm. We strongly urge Nigerians to avoid panic buying or stockpiling of petrol. This behaviour not only creates artificial scarcity but also poses a significant safety hazard.

“Many trucks could not load product for over 48 hours during the storm. Now that the weather is clear, marketers have begun loading, and all trucks have commenced distribution of fuel to all stations across the country.

“We want to assure Nigerians that there is no scarcity, and they should not stock petrol at home.”