Petrol scarcity hits Abuja as Dangote, PENGASSAN clash deepens

Abuja residents are grappling with petrol scarcity following a dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery over the dismissal of more than 800 workers.

PENGASSAN cut gas supply to the refinery on Sunday, a move that has crippled operations and slowed fuel loading.

By Tuesday, most filling stations across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were shut, while black marketers sold petrol in strategic spots, including around Conoil near the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) headquarters in the Central Business District.

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, confirmed that Dangote remains the sole supplier of petrol, warning that private depots have already hiked pump prices to as high as ₦980 per litre in Lagos.

He urged both parties to resolve their rift to prevent further damage to the economy.

Similarly, the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) spokesperson, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, described the standoff as the sole cause of the shortage and appealed to the federal government to intervene swiftly.