The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has raised concerns over the shortage of premium motor spirit, also known as petrol, affecting its members across the country amidst widespread scarcity.
The umbrella association, which has over 3,000 members and controls a large portion of Nigeria’s filling stations, has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited of failing to provide appropriate supplies to its members.
Shina Amoo, Chairman of IPMAN’s Ore Depot, alleged that the NNPCL, as the sole importer of petroleum products, has failed to supply adequate supplies to IPMAN for the past three years, resulting in a severe scenario for its members.
“There’s no supply anyplace. The available supply is inadequately distributed. We’ve been raising concerns about this for quite some time. Previously, we had a supply ratio of 70/30 based on capacity.
“There is no supply anywhere. The available supply is poorly distributed. We have been raising concerns about this for a long time. We previously had an arrangement where we enjoyed a 70/30 supply ratio based on our capacity.
“Independent marketers are spread across villages and urban areas, yet we are not being considered in the supply chain,” Amoo lamented during his appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday.
The NNPCL, through its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, indicated that the oil company was working hard to address the fuel supply issues, emphasising that the queues should be cleared by mid-week.
However, Amoo mentioned the bureaucratic delays faced by IPMAN members when dealing with NNPCL, saying, “Previously, after payment, it took a week to load products. Now, the process drags on for three to five months. This has made many of us turn to private depots, even though they charge premium prices.”
He expressed dissatisfaction with the current distribution pattern, accusing NNPCL of prioritising DAPPMAN and MEMAN above IPMAN.
“NNPCL abandoned the distribution pattern and stopped being sincere. They no longer supply IPMAN but prefer to supply others. The volume they provide is insufficient for our needs,” Amoo stated.
He also discussed the impact of the loss of fuel subsidies, claiming that corruption in the downstream industry is to blame for the soaring prices. He believes that removing corruption will result in a large reduction in product pricing.
