Niger Republic has sought assistance from Nigeria to alleviate a critical fuel shortage, despite recent diplomatic tensions between the neighboring countries. A delegation of senior officials from Niger’s military junta traveled to Abuja to meet with representatives of the Nigerian government. Following discussions, Nigeria approved the delivery of 300 trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to Niger.
A senior Nigerian government official indicated that this agreement serves as a “strategic bargaining tool” in ongoing negotiations with Niger. The official noted that Niger had been reliant on fuel from a Chinese refinery, which has ceased operations due to supplier issues, leaving the country with limited options.
Reports indicate that the fuel crisis in Niger has escalated, with petrol prices reaching up to N8,000 per liter in some regions. In border areas like Konni, a liter of petrol costs approximately 1,200 CFA (about N2,500), while in Agadez, prices have soared to 3,000 CFA (around N7,500).
The crisis is partly attributed to a dispute between Niger’s ruling junta and Chinese oil companies. In March 2024, the China National Petroleum Corporation provided Niger with a $400 million advance, using future crude oil deliveries as collateral. When repayment became challenging, the junta imposed an $80 billion tax demand on the Zinder Refinery Company (Soraz), despite the state-owned Sonidep already owing Soraz $250 billion. This led to the expulsion of Chinese oil executives and the seizure of Soraz’s bank accounts, resulting in the collapse of Niger’s petroleum sector.
Despite previous diplomatic strains, including accusations from Niger’s Head of State, Brig. Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, that Nigeria colluded with France to destabilize Niger, Nigeria has extended support by supplying fuel to ease the crisis.
Oil marketers estimate that the 300 approved trucks equate to approximately 13.5 million liters of petrol. They assert that Nigeria has sufficient capacity to assist Niger without affecting domestic supply, citing operational refineries like the Dangote refinery and the Port Harcourt refinery, alongside imports from other countries.
Source: Swifteradio.com
