Multiple MRS petrol stations located in Abuja have ceased operations for the past two days because of a shortage of Premium Motor Spirit. Managers at these sites explained that they remain closed because they have not received fresh deliveries from Lagos. One manager noted that no supply trucks have arrived at their location since Thursday.
Billy Gillis-Harry, who serves as the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, suggested that some operators are struggling to secure the foreign exchange needed to purchase refined products. He attributed the closures to the shift toward dollarizing the downstream oil sector.
This situation follows the decision by Dangote Refinery to restart selling fuel in dollars after the Nigerian government ended its naira-for-crude agreement. Meanwhile, fuel prices have surged, with some depot owners increasing rates to N1,225 per litre. Retail prices in Abuja have also climbed by N40 to N50, reaching approximately N1,220 per litre. In contrast, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has maintained its price at N1,155 per litre.
