Fuel Scarcity Imminent as Petrol Tanker Drivers Halt Services Nationwide
Nigeria braces for fuel scarcity as the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) announces the suspension of its services nationwide, effective February 19, citing economic hardships stemming from high operational costs and low freight rates.
In a recent communication addressed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), NARTO’s national president, Yusuf Lawal Othman, conveyed the commencement of service withdrawal starting today.
Despite concerted efforts to negotiate with stakeholders like the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), NARTO reports receiving no favorable responses regarding freight rates adjustment.
The withdrawal of NARTO’s services, controlling over 80% of petroleum transportation in Nigeria, holds significant implications for the country’s petroleum product supply and distribution network.
The association, emphasizing its lack of alternatives, informed NUPENG of its National Executive Council’s resolution to instruct all members to cease making petroleum trucks available for loading activities effective February 19, 2024.
NARTO urges its NUPENG-affiliated employees to extend maximum cooperation and understanding, emphasizing collective efforts towards sustaining petroleum haulage business amidst challenging economic circumstances.
Acknowledging the infeasibility of business continuity under current economic conditions, workers express their concerns over the nation’s economic climate.
Notices regarding service suspension were dispatched to regulatory bodies such as the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (MMDPRA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the executive secretary of MEMAN.
