Fuel Price To Rise As Petrol Tanker Drivers Send Letter, Stop Operation Nationwide

Fuel scarcity and price hike threaten Nigeria as the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) announces a nationwide service withdrawal starting Monday, February 19, citing economic hardship due to high operational costs and low freight rates.

In a recent letter addressed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), signed by the national president, Yusuf Lawal Othman, NARTO indicated the commencement of the service withdrawal effective today.

Despite efforts to negotiate with key stakeholders such as the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) for fair and equitable freight rates, NARTO expressed disappointment at the lack of positive responses.

The withdrawal of services by NARTO, which controls over 80 percent of petroleum transportation in Nigeria, is expected to significantly impact the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

NARTO’s National Executive Council (NEC) resolved to instruct all its members not to make their petroleum trucks available for loading activities starting Monday, February 19, 2024.

The association appealed to its NUPENG-affiliated employees for maximum cooperation and understanding, emphasizing the necessity of collective efforts to sustain the petroleum haulage business amidst the challenging economic environment.

Acknowledging the impossibility of continuing business as usual given the current economic conditions, NARTO forwarded the notice of service withdrawal to the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (MMDPRA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the executive secretary of MEMAN.