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Motorists in some parts of Nigeria were stranded on Monday, April 29 amid a fuel shortage.

Images shared by local press depicted long queues at petrol stations, as the shortage affected major regions including Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, and Kano.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) attributed the shortage to logistics and vessel problems.

The NNPCL said on Sunday that the crisis would end soon, assuring the public they had adequate stock.

However, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Public Relations Officer Chinedu Ukadike contradicted the NNPCL, saying that the product was not available in the West African country

Ukadike said they face challenges importing fuel from Europe as many refineries are undergoing maintenance and it would take at least two weeks to normalize fuel supply.

The IPMAN official also blamed the shortage on the slow renewal of oil marketers’ licenses by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest oil exporters, heavily relies on imports to meet local energy needs, and the government introduced policies to change the status quo. Two weeks ago, the government announced a policy requiring oil producers to sell a share of their crude oil to local refiners before they are permitted to export.

The policy also stated that local refiners can purchase crude oil using either dollars, naira, or a combination of both.

The measures will take effect in the second part of the year and are expected to bolster Nigeria’s refining capacity and earn foreign exchange.

(With additional reporting from local media).