‘Relief is on the way’ — Buhari apologises to Nigerians over petrol scarcity, power outage

President Muhammadu Buhari has apologised to Nigerians over the petrol scarcity and power outage experienced in the country.

Since February, there has been petrol scarcity in the country following the importation of off-spec petrol into the country.

The scarcity, although now easing off in parts of the country, led to hike in the price of petrol as well as long queues at filling stations.

Meanwhile, there are currently reports of power outages across the country, with the national grid said to have collapsed twice within the past 72 hours.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, Buhari said the federal government is taking steps to address the situation.

The president said he regrets the inconvenience experienced by Nigerians regarding petrol shortage, adding that actions would be taken against those responsible for worsening the situation at depots.

“The administration knows the fuel shortage has placed a strain on Nigerian citizens and businesses, but relief is on the way. I especially apologise to all sections of society for this,” he was quoted as saying.

“The government is working round the clock to attend to this issue. An action plan agreed upon earlier this month is being implemented to address the scarcity.

“Working together with the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), this plan is now bearing fruit. Sufficient fuel supply has returned to a handful of states, with the queues at stations falling. In the coming days, we expect this to be the case across the rest of the country.

“Looking to the longer term, funds are being targeted toward keeping fuel availability affordable for the country. The international energy markets have surged drastically in recent months, the government will however ensure that consumers are protected against these price spikes.”

On epileptic power supply, Buhari said “the blackouts seen in the national grid are also being addressed”.

“A dip in hydroelectric generation due to seasonal pressures has coincided with technical and supply problems at thermal stations,” he added.

“On this, the government is also working tirelessly to resolve the issues at the latter to guarantee sufficient power flows into the national grid.”