Motorists in Lagos and Abuja have begun experiencing fresh fuel queues, with long lines reported at petrol stations since September 30 and intensifying on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
In Lagos, fuel was available at several stations in the morning of October 1, but sales were suspended by early afternoon, forcing motorists to seek alternatives. Similar reports surfaced across the capital city, Abuja.
Social media users also shared their frustrations. In Lagos, a commuter identified as Tutu (@Tutu40503013) wrote on X that she had visited four filling stations before finding fuel, only for the outlet to stop sales abruptly. “By the time we got to the next, the queue had already started building up,” she lamented.
In Abuja, Retson Tedheke (@RetsonTedheke01) posted pictures of long queues at a TotalEnergies station on September 30, while another user, Nipelomo (@omoagberi), shared a video of vehicles lined up at an AP filling station with the caption: “Fuel queue hit Abuja.”
The return of queues marks a sharp contrast to recent months of relative stability in the domestic fuel market, largely attributed to supplies from Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The development comes against the backdrop of a dispute between the refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). The union accused the company of unfair labour practices, including the dismissal of Nigerian workers, and on September 26 directed members to halt gas and crude deliveries to the refinery and suspend vessel loading operations.
Dangote Group denied the allegations, insisting that only a small number of employees were affected in a reorganisation aimed at safeguarding operations. The company condemned PENGASSAN’s directive as unlawful and warned that it could disrupt nationwide supplies of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and cooking gas.
Federal Government intervention has since brokered a truce, with PENGASSAN agreeing to suspend its nationwide strike after a two-day conciliation meeting in Abuja.
