scarcity in the country, filling stations in some parts of Lagos
experienced queues on Monday, while some refused to sell Premium Motor
Spirit, popularly known as petrol, to motorists.
The pockets of fuel queues in Lagos emerged few days after the
Independent Petroleum Markers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State
chapter, accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of
under-supplying its members with petrol.
IPMAN had said last week that its members in Lagos and parts of Ogun
State might be forced to shut their filling stations by December 11 if
the situation persisted.
A source, who is an executive of a Lagos-based oil marketing company,
told our correspondent, “This is the second week in which supply has
not been very robust.
“The rationing started the previous week. The NNPC has
been the major supplier and there have been distribution dislocations
since the Apapa jetty got burnt, making it difficult for major oil
marketers to get products; they have to be doing throughput with other
companies, because they can’t receive products through that line until
the repair is completed.”
Noting that demand for petrol had increased due to the approaching Yuletide, he said depot prices had gone up.
“So many depots are selling above the recommended price
of N133 per litre; it is averaging between N140 and N142.5. When you
know you have 10 million litres and you know people make payment of
about 20 million litres on a daily basis, automatically you will begin
to ration and in the process of rationing, there will be so many hidden
charges,” the official stated.
The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, while reacting
to the allegation by IPMAN last Thursday at the inauguration of the NNPC
mega station in Sagamu, had noted that the corporation was importing
about 100 per cent of the petroleum products in the country, saying
there were sufficient products.
He said, “We distribute at the ex-depot price of N133 per
litre; so there is no reason why anybody should sell above N145 per
litre. So if some people are playing around, I will leave it for the
relevant regulatory authorities, the DPR and the PPPRA to take care of.
As for IPMAN, I want to advise that this is not the route to go.
“They know what it means to go on strike; to deprive people of
products will be the saddest thing that will happen because I have
sufficient products and I am selling within the PPPRA price template.”
IPMAN had particularly complained of shortage of product supplied to
the Ejigbo satellite depot, which, it said was serving more than 900
filling stations in Lagos.
It said with the under-supply from the NNPC, its members were being
forced to approach the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association, which
was allegedly buying at N117 per litre from the NNPC and reselling to
IPMAN members at N141 per litre.
The association alleged that the NNPC was not only under-supplying
its members with the PMS, but was also frustrating them by reneging on
the bulk purchase agreement it signed with its members to supply the
product to them at N133.28k per litre.
It said with the under-supply from the NNPC, its members were being
forced to approach the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association, which
was allegedly buying at N117 per litre from the NNPC and reselling to
IPMAN members at N141 per litre.
Meanwhile, the NNPC on Monday stated that there was no plan to
increase the prices of petroleum products both at the ex-depot level and
the pumps ahead of the forthcoming Yuletide.
It insisted that the ex-depot price of N133.38 per litre and the pump
price of N143/N145 per litre of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known
as petrol, had not changed, adding that it had enough stock to ensure
seamless supply and distribution of products across the country.
The corporation urged motorists and other users of petroleum products
to disregard rumours of an impending fuel price hike on some online
news platforms.
The NNPC said it had the full commitment of all downstream
stakeholders, including petroleum marketers and industry unions, to
cooperate in achieving zero fuel scarcity this season and beyond.
It added that motorists should not engage in panic buying or indulge
in the dangerous practice of stocking petroleum products in jerry cans
at home.
The corporation said its downstream subsidiary firms, Petroleum
Products Marketing Company and the NNPC Retail Limited, were fully set
to ensure that motorists enjoy uninterrupted access to petrol throughout
the season across the country.