Nobody knows the cause of fuel scarcity currently happening in Lagos State and other states in Nigeria. After the recent 100 years centenary ecelbration, GEJ and his cabinet decided to put Nigerians in a chaotic celebration. below is Jane Michael’s story on how she could fill her tank.
On my way back from school, after a hot weathering examination, I thought the queue at the filling station (M.R.S FILLING STATION, AKOKA, LAGOS)  just after the school gate was less comparing it to other gas stations’ so I decided to join the queue. At some point, I began to wonder why the ‘short’ queue was taking forever to move. When it eventually got to my turn to through the gate into the premises, I was asked to pay a fee of 500 naira. Before I could ask why I should pay 500 naira, someone said  ‘Eleyi o da mo, Next‘  means I don’t know whats up. So i decided to pay cos I wouldn’t wait for 3 hours and just turn my back around. After all, quitters don’t win ( Lori 500 naira, ko jo)
So I paid ( the gate fee ) and got into the premises. On getting in, the reality of the journey just began. These were the requirements to purchase fuel; Note that this is not a guarantee that by the time it gets to your turn or before it gets to your turn, you will have fuel in your tank.
- You MUST buy an engine oil of their product – PREMIER MOTOR OIL Don’t forget that you are not meant to change engine oil product for the safety of your car or machinery). So you are either buying this engine oil as a souvenir or you are throwing it away. Cost price =- 800 naira. You must have the exact amount hence, consider your 200 naira change gone due to no change.
- You will have to pay 500 naira for them to detouch the nozzle from the vending machine to your car.
Now before it gets to your turn, you have to go through alot of fights because they are literally selling in five kegs to a car. After spending about 5 hours at the filling station, I decided to sit down and calculate how much I spent  at the filling station and comparing it to black market. Here is what I got;
SOLUTION
BLACK MARKET = N1, 500/5 litres = 300 naira per litre.
QUEUING AT THE FILLING STATION = Â N10,000 Â (100 litres) Â + N500 (gate fee) + N800 ( engine oil ) / 100 litres
11,300 / 100 litres = 113 naira per litre.
At the end, I discovered that it was actually cheaper to join the queue and buy fuel. But don’t be too quick to forget that I did not include time. Â And also don’t forget that time is priceles. Only the poor would say it was worth the wait but alot of money worth more than the money saved was lost.
Up till now, no one has said the reason why there is fuel scarcity in the country. I have a feeling it’s because we asked NNPC where our money is.