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Nigerians willing to buy fuel online – Report

By on June 6, 2015

A survey carried out on Nigerians’ willingness to buy petroleum products through the Internet by kaymu.com.ng has revealed that 73 per cent of the citizens are willing to buy the products online if the law permits it.

The result of the survey released by the company on Thursday also showed that 19 per cent of Nigerians were unaware of the prohibition against selling of fuel outside of filling stations.

The month-long fuel scarcity in the country has had a crippling effect on the economy. At its peak, power supply was cut off, education institutions were shut down, banks became incapacitated, flights were cancelled, radio and television stations ceased broadcasting, and the public service was paralysed.

MTN, Airtel and Etisalat, three of the four major telecoms companies operating in the country issued statements alerting subscribers to the potential impact that the fuel shortage could have on the quality of services.

The Nigerian law prohibits the sale of fuel outside of registered filling stations; despite this, Kaymu said the online shopping community witnessed increased inquiry on the sale of petroleum products on its platform.

It said social media users seeking alternative means of buying fuel were disappointed to find that they could not do so online during the period.

At that time, the company said online marketplaces witnessed increased visits and purchases, which might be attributed to the restriction of movement caused by the high cost of transport.

The Head of Public Relations and Communications, Kaymu, Tomiwa Oladele, was quoted as saying, “From the outside, there appeared to be no visible impact of the fuel shortage on the e-commerce sector. For Kaymu, the shortage of fuel affected the company and its customers in a unique way.

“It is remarkable to see how Nigerians have taken to e-commerce. The confidence and willingness to buy a commodity such as fuel online not only expose Nigerians’ frustration at the fuel crisis, but reveal their acceptability of alternative and more convenient ways of buying and selling.

“The rise in orders during the fuel scarcity has necessitated ancillary delivery and logistics processes to meet the growing demand of online shoppers.”

The Rocket Internet backed venture, regarded by some as Nigeria’s E-bay, is an online shopping community that empowers entrepreneurs by providing a platform for buyers and sellers to meet and conduct business transactions in a safe environment.

 

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