Fuel Scarcity: Nigerians Take Petrol Search To Cotonu,Benin Republic

Due to the lingering scarcity of petroleum products in the country, Nigerians have been forced to source the product from Cotonou in Benin Republic

On Monday, petrol sold for between N4, 500 and N5, 000 per litre along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway as black marketers claimed they sourced the product from neighbouring Cotonou in the Republic of Benin which is not an oil producing country.

A petrol hawker, who identified himself as Simpson Samuel, said he bought five litres from Cotonou and resold it for N5, 000 in Lagos.


“I purchased this fuel for 800 Cedis a litre, which is equivalent of N3, 500,” he said.

“We have been at filling stations along this Badagry road, but we did not get fuel. Some of our colleagues directed us to Cotonou and that is where we bought these ones.

“Many people who have also gone there cannot buy because of the rush by our people,” Mr. Samuel said.