Motorists in North-east Stranded as Over 1,800 Filling Stations Shut Down – IPMAN

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN) says nearly 2,000 petrol outlets in North-east were shut yesterday in protest of an anti-smuggling operation that targeted some operators, forcing motorists to buy from the black market.

IPMAN Chairman for Adamawa and Taraba states, Dahiru Buba, told Reuters that petrol stations stopped operations after the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) impounded tanker trucks and shut some fuel outlets on suspicion they were smuggling petrol to neighbouring Cameroon.

Black market fuel vendors in Cameroon, Benin and Togo have for years relied on cheap gasoline smuggled from Nigeria, the report said.

When Nigeria scrapped a petrol subsidy last year, that black market trade collapsed, but the product has become cheaper again after Nigeria capped the price since June 2023 despite its currency sharply weakening.

Under “Operation Whirlwind”, Customs initially impounded some tanker trucks belonging to IPMAN members and released them after the association protested. But more trucks were seized and several fuel stations were shut, forcing fuel station operators to close outlets en-masse in protest, said Buba.

“We wrote to them (Nigeria Customs) again but there were no responses that is why we decided to go on strike,” he said, adding that over 1,800 outlets had ceased to operate.

“This is our business and we cannot be quiet when our members are treated this way,” Buba added.

Customs spokesperson for Adamawa and Taraba, Mangsi Lazarus, told Reuters that tanker trucks were seized because they were being used to smuggle petrol.

In Adamawa capital Yola, black market traders quickly took advantage of the shortages to sell petrol for N1,400 ($0.9459) a litre, compared to between N650 and N750 at the pump.