Fuel shortage: Reps sound alarm over 48-hour supply crisis

Nigeria may face a fresh fuel scarcity within the next 48 hours if urgent action is not taken to address supply challenges, the House of Representatives has warned.

Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Ugochinyere, raised the alarm during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Abuja, describing the situation as a looming crisis.

He said the country risks widespread fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a spike in pump prices if bottlenecks in the supply chain persist.

According to him, the crisis is largely linked to inadequate crude oil supply to the Dangote Refinery, which is central to Nigeria’s energy stability.

Ugochinyere disclosed that although the refinery is allocated about 21 cargoes of crude oil and requires at least 15 to operate efficiently, it is currently receiving only five.

“This shortfall is already undermining refining capacity and poses a direct risk to fuel availability across the country,” he said.

The committee also raised concerns over the quality of crude supplied to local refineries, noting that substandard grades are affecting production efficiency.

It further criticised the role of international intermediaries, alleging that crude produced in Nigeria is sold to domestic refiners through middlemen abroad, significantly increasing costs.

“For every barrel priced at $100, refineries pay about $118, with the extra $18 going to intermediaries,” the lawmaker stated, describing the practice as unsustainable.

He urged the Federal Government to enforce the Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation under the Petroleum Industry Act and ensure direct supply of high-quality crude to local refineries.

While appealing to Nigerians to avoid panic buying, the committee warned that failure to act swiftly could worsen the cost-of-living crisis and disrupt fuel distribution nationwide.