Fuel queues resurfaced in Lagos on Wednesday despite the resolution of the standoff between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Checks showed long lines of cars at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) retail station in Ikoyi, outlets around Oyingbo, and the MRS station at Alapere. Similar scenes were observed along the Epe axis, even as stations in Abuja remained unaffected, with operations running normally.

The return of scarcity has unsettled residents who had enjoyed weeks of stability in supply following Dangote Refinery’s entry into the domestic market. Some motorists reported that filling stations selling fuel in the morning stopped dispensing by afternoon, sparking a scramble for alternatives.

The frustration spilled onto social media, with users venting over the sudden queues.

“Why are fuel queues returning despite no change in price? It’s still N865–N870,” one user, @Ayobekee_Jnr, wrote. Another, @iamkayodea, added: “Dangote and PENGASSAN are fighting, but it’s the rest of poor Nigerians that have to wait in long queues for fuel.”

The queues follow disruptions caused by PENGASSAN’s strike order on September 26, when the union accused Dangote Refinery of sacking over 800 workers and blocking unionization efforts.

The directive halted crude and gas deliveries to the refinery and suspended vessel loading operations, with orders extended to branch leaders across oil majors including TotalEnergies, Chevron, Shell, Oando, Seplat, and NGIC.

Dangote Refinery denied the claims, describing the strike as unlawful and a threat to the supply of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and cooking gas nationwide.

After two days of talks in Abuja chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, the federal government brokered a truce, with PENGASSAN agreeing to suspend its strike and Dangote pledging to redeploy disengaged workers elsewhere within the Group.

However, the aftershocks of the disruption are now being felt on Lagos roads, where queues are mounting once again, raising fears of renewed scarcity. (BusinessDay)