NNPCL Portal Shutdown Sparks Fuel Scarcity Fears Amid Petrol Supply Disruption

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) portal, used for purchasing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), has been shut down, sparking concerns among petroleum marketers and potentially triggering another nationwide fuel scarcity.

According to Chinedu Ukadike, spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the portal’s closure has left over 2,000 pending tickets for 45,000 liters of petrol unprocessed. This backlog translates to approximately 90 million liters of PMS, valued at around N79 billion.

“The portal shutdown has halted our operations, and we cannot confirm the current price,” Ukadike stated. “A single 45,000-liter truckload of PMS costs approximately N39.5 million. With 2,000 pending tickets, the implications are severe.”

NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye acknowledged the significant backlog and explained that the portal’s temporary closure aims to prevent prolonged holding of marketers’ funds. However, Soneye failed to provide a reopening date.

“We are working to address the backlog as soon as possible,” Soneye assured.

This development comes amid Nigerian’s struggle with soaring energy costs, following NNPCL’s September 2024 announcement of a petrol price increase after sourcing supplies from Dangote Refinery.

Currently, petrol prices range from N950 to N1,100 per liter nationwide.