Fuel queues continue to mount in many parts of the country despite the recent payment of N407 billion subsidy claims to marketers.

The queues are worsening in Abuja, Kano and many states, both in the north and south of the country.
Nigerians intending to travel home for the Christmas and New Year celebrations have started to voice concerns about the lingering fuel shortages.

In states like Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, River, Enugu and Niger, petrol is sold above the government regulated price of N87 per litre.

The federal government had last week released N407 billion as subsidy to oil marketers. Before the payment, the marketers attributed the scarcity to non-release of the fund but there has been no respite for motorists as the long queues continue in most filling stations, indicating that Nigerians may spend the Christmas searching for petrol.

In Abuja, there were long queues of vehicles yesterday at the Conoil and Total filling stations opposite the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) headquarters at the Central Area, leading to obstruction of traffic. Similar scenes were observed at all other fuel stations that dispensed the product within Abuja city centre and suburbs.