NIGERIA: A vandalised pipeline is being blamed for a fuel shortage which is affecting several states in south-west Nigeria, including the country's commercial city, Lagos

Record ID: 235772

  • Title: NIGERIA: A vandalised pipeline is being blamed for a fuel shortage which is affecting several states in south-west Nigeria, including the country's commercial city, Lagos
  • Date: 17th September 2012
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS QUEUING OUTSIDE A PETROL STATION SELLING FUEL LOGO OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION. VARIOUS PEOPLE AT THE PETROL STATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHARLES OBIYE, CIVIL SERVANT, SAYING: "For like three days now, no way, I've been here for an hour and 30 minutes, no way, as a matter of fact, they count cars that go in, in fact, it's really horrible." VARIOUS OF CARS IN A QUEUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAROLINE EKPE, A BUSINESS WOMAN, SAYING: "It's a devastating situation..... so I don't know. If only they can give us this fuel and stop the scarcity of a thing, you know, we will be happy. We are not asking for too much." QUEUE OF CARS CARS DRIVING IN TO BUY FUEL AT A PETROL STATION FORTE OIL LOGO VARIOUS OF PETROL ATTENDANTS SELLING FUEL NOZZLE DISPENSING FUEL PUMP COUNTER VARIOUS OF PETROL ATTENDANTS SELLING FUEL QUEUE OF CARS AT THE PETROL STATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) SEGUN OYIRU, A RESIDENT IN LAGOS, SAYING: "I've been in this queue for a long time, I wanted to get fuel so I can get to the airport, now, there's no single fuel in my tank. I've been in this queue since 8 o'clock, no movement. They said they have only one nozzle selling there." CARS DRIVING INTO THE PETROL STATION
  • Embargoed: 2nd October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Crime,Business,Economy,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA7IQVVSO4UK2JVKX47ID7TEVK7
  • Story Text: Motorists in several states in south-west Nigeria - including Lagos, the country's commercial hub - were hit by a fuel shortage on Monday (September 17), caused by damage to a pipeline owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
    Several petrol stations in Lagos have had long queues outside them, causing severe traffic problems in the surrounding areas.
    Charles Obiye, a civil servant in Lagos, said getting fuel had been a difficult task.
    "For like three days now, no way, I've been here for an hour and 30 minutes, no way, as a matter of fact, they count cars that go in, in fact, it's really horrible," he said.
    The NNPC said the shortage has been caused by vandals damaging a pipeline in the south-west of the country last month.
    Residents in Lagos say the shortage is affecting their businesses.
    "It's a devastating situation..... so I don't know. If only they can give us this fuel and stop the scarcity of a thing, you know, we will be happy. We are not asking for too much," Caroline Ekpe, a business woman in Lagos said.
    Attempts by the NNPC to carry out repair works at the site have proved futile as the team of engineers sent to repair the pipe were themselves attacked by vandals.
    Segun Oyiru, a Lagos resident, said he had been queuing for several hours.
    "I've been in this queue for a long time, I wanted to get fuel so I can get to the airport, now, there's no single fuel in my tank. I've been in this queue since 8 o'clock, no movement. They said they have only one nozzle selling there," he said.
    There are fears the fuel shortage could worsen if the pipeline is not quickly repaired.
    Nigeria is among the top 10 crude oil exporters in the world but decades of corruption and mismanagement means it now has to import the majority of its refined fuel stocks.
    In January, President Goodluck Jonathan tried to end the fuel subsidy - which economists say is wasteful and corrupt - but was thwarted when the Nigeria Labour Congress led strikes and protests over petrol prices, threatening to effectively shut down the economy.
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