In northeast Nigeria, more than 1,800 petrol stations have shut down in protest against an anti-smuggling operation by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The operation, named “Operation Whirlwind,” targeted some operators, leading to widespread closures and forcing motorists to buy fuel from the black market.
Dahiru Buba, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for Adamawa and Taraba states, explained that the shutdown began after the NCS impounded tanker trucks and closed several petrol stations on suspicion of smuggling petrol to Cameroon.
“We wrote to them (Nigeria Customs) again but there were no responses, that is why we decided to go on strike. Over 1,800 outlets have ceased to operate for now. This is our business, and we cannot be quiet when our members are treated this way,” Buba stated.
Mangsi Lazarus, the Customs spokesperson for Adamawa and Taraba, defended the seizures, claiming the tanker trucks were used to smuggle petrol.
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In Yola, the capital of Adamawa, black market traders quickly took advantage of the fuel shortages, selling petrol for 1,400 naira ($0.9459) per liter, significantly higher than the regular pump price of 650 to 750 naira.
For years, black market fuel vendors in Cameroon, Benin, and Togo have depended on cheap gasoline smuggled from Nigeria. President Tinubu’s removal of the petrol subsidy last May initially collapsed the black-market trade. However, the trade revived when Nigeria capped petrol prices in June 2023, despite the weakening currency.
Following the subsidy removal, Nigeria’s daily average fuel consumption dropped from 66.9 million liters to 48.4 million liters, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). Additionally, fuel imports into Nigeria fell to 106,000 barrels per day in July 2023, down from 205,200 barrels per day in May 2023.