Against the backdrop of the lingering fuel scarcity, the price of petrol has skyrocketed N200 per litre in Lagos.
Checks around the metropolis revealed that more filing stations have joined the growing number without the product, while few which have the product sell between N 170 to N200 per litre amid long queues.
Most stations in Ikorodu, Epe, Imota, Ibeju-Lekki and Ajah were seen selling petrol at N200 per litre as at Sunday afternoon.
At Be Happy, Mallo, Bravo, Domino, and Dhikram filling stations situated in Ikorodu, petrol was selling at N200 per litre while motorists were mandated to pay N50 as ‘commission’ to the attendants before the product is dispensed to them.
Mobil, Oando and Total filling stations along Lekki-Epe Expressway were dispensing at N145 per litre but there were long queues while motorists who could not wait on the queue were cited buying petrol from `black market’ hawkers along the road.
Curiously, some independent marketers’ filling stations branded with NNPC colour were also selling petrol at N170 per litre, even though their dispensing meter read N143 per litre.
Black market operators at Monsinmi depot were selling a 30-litre gallon at N6, 000 with inter-state commercial and private motorists packed along the road to purchases as much as they could afford.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, spokesman of the NNPC has said that the corporation has intensified efforts to flood the market with petrol.
Ughamadu said six major marketers, namely 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 other parts of the country.
According to him, the supplies are mostly from cargoes of petrol imported to by NNPC which are daily berthing and immediately being made to discharge their products to stem the supply hiccups.
“The imported products are also being supplemented by supplies from the local refineries.
“ 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.”