Fuel scarcity lingers as NNPC delays Dangote petrol supply, independent marketers ready to buy

Going by the projection of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, owner of the brand new Dagote Refinery, sufficient petrol from that facility should have been delivered at various filling stations across the country since last Thursday.

“Our PMS can be in filling stations within the next 48 hours, depending on NNPCL,” he said.

This was expected to douse tension and ease the prolonged fuel scarcity being experienced nationwide.

Dangote who spoke in Lagos last Tuesday with a promise of commencing the supply of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol within 48 hours however gave a proviso – that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited would pick up the product from his refinery at a price agreeable to the two parties.

Dangote could not disclose the pump price of the product, saying the Federal Executive Council would determine how much he would a litre of petrol.

But five days after Dangote spoke at the launch of his refinery’s petrol into the market, the nation still awaits the promised PMS due to delay by the NNPC.

The NNPC, which had earlier indicated its willingness to buy off the Dangote fuel and distribute to marketers as it currently does has however made a U-turn.

It said in Saturday that it would only pick up the fuel if found to be cheaper than that of international market.

“NNPC Ltd has no desire or intention to become the distributor for any entity in a free market environment, and therefore, the notion of becoming a sole off-taker does not arise,” it added.

While no concrete agreement has been reached between NNPC and Dangote on the issue, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria on Saturday said it would buy PMS from Dangote at any price, even if the NNPC refused to buy.

A report by Sunday PUNCH quoted National President of the association, Abubakar Maigandi, as saying the independent marketers were ready to patronise Dangote.

He said, “Whatever the case, if Dangote starts selling his product, we are going to patronise him; if at all he wants to do business with us.

“We are ready to buy at any price because the NNPC is saying that they don’t want to involve themselves in fixing prices.

“So, at any price that he wants to sell, we are ready to buy and discharge and sell at a good price.”

Members of IPMAN are said to own about 80 per cent of the filling stations in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, fuel scarcity has not abated nationwide despite the promise by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, that petrol would be made available by this weekend.

He said after a meeting with Vice-President Kashim Shettima in Abuja on the fuel crisis, “Between now and the weekend, there will be availability of products across the length and breadth of the country.

“We believe that by the time there is availability of products across the country, the price itself will stabilise.”

Lokpobiri urged Nigerians not to resort to panic buying, stressing that there is sufficient petroleum product to meet the nation’s demand.

Queues have remained at few filling stations dispensing petrol to motorists as many people spend long hours waiting for their turn.

While petrol is being sold between N855 and N920 per litre by the NNPC and major marketers, independent marketers are selling between N1,000 and N1,200.

The price is expectedly higher at the black market. In Lagos, a five-litre of petrol is offered between N7,000 and N8,000.