The federal government has blamed flooding for the fuel scarcity which surfaced in Abuja and other parts of the country on Monday.
It says the weather concerns have temporarily disrupted the fuel distribution chain.
Queues for petrol surfaced across filling stations in Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and some other parts of the country on Monday.
However, in a statement on Monday, Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), said the government’s dedicated team is working tirelessly to resolve the issues.
“I understand the frustration many of you are feeling due to the fuel queues in cities such as Abuja.
“Recent flooding on the trucking route and unavoidable logistical challenges due to weather concerns have temporarily disrupted our distribution chain.
READ ALSO: Fuel Crisis Worsens As Independent Marketers Threaten Total Shutdown
“I assure you that our dedicated team is working around the clock to resolve these issues. We are committed to restoring normal fuel supplies as quickly as possible.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. Together, we will overcome these challenges.” Lokpobiri said.
The minister corroborates the earlier claim by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited that thunderstorms and the consequential flooding of trucking routes caused the supply disruption in Abuja.
But on July 4, a Reuters report said the NNPC was struggling to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and international fuel costs due to over $6 billion indebted to petrol suppliers.