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Tag: Fuel Scarcity

  • Adulterated fuel: How NNPC concealed vital report to throw Nigerians into suffering

    Adulterated fuel: How NNPC concealed vital report to throw Nigerians into suffering

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited charged with the responsibility of regulating and supervising the oil industry on behalf of the Nigerian government has Integrity, Transparency and Accountability at the centre of its core values, yet failed to immediately take responsibility for the importation of the adulterated fuel that has caused Nigerians unquantified economic and social hardship.

    The NNPC admitted on 20th January 2022 that it received a report from its quality inspectors on the presence of emulsion particles in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium. The report NNPC received from its quality inspectors goes contrary to the quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium, which indicated that the gasoline supplied, complied with Nigerian specifications.

    “As a standard practice for all PMS imports to Nigeria, the said cargoes were equally certified by inspection agents appointed by the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA),” said the Chief Executive Officer/ Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari.

    It is important to note that all imported petroleum products must meet the National Quality Standard specifications approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). To ensure compliance, relevant tests are carried out.

    Kyari also said that the NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge and the results showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specifications.

    In spite of the contrary report the NNPC claimed it received on 20th January, the corporation rather than isolate the vessel and take urgent steps to reconcile its findings with AmSpec Belgium which issued quality certificates for the product, concealed this information and allegedly went ahead to discharge same to five major oil marketers – OVH, MRS NIPCO, ARDOVA and TOTAL – between 24th and 30th January 2022.

    As the adulterated fuel travelled from Lagos to other parts of the country, an unperturbed Kyari visited the Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State where he delivered the 30th convocation lecture of the university titled: “Energy Transition and Energy Accessibility: The New Paradigm” and was conferred its Honorary Doctorate Degree of Engineering (Honoris Causa) in recognition of his contributions to national development.

    “Just received an honourary Doctor of Engineering from the Federal University of Tech Minna. A humbling call to duty and for delivery of value to the shareholders of NNPC ltd.,” the NNPC GMD tweeted on 2nd February.

    The damaging effect of the bad fuel was soon noticed by the consuming public and Nigerians took to social media to complain about their vehicle engines developing faults after purchasing fuel from some filling stations. In one of the videos, a man holding a darkish liquid in a transparent container lamented how the fuel he bought from a refill station in Abuja had damaged his car.

    As a result of persistent complaints, the NNPC on 10th February, more than three weeks after it had been intimated of the bad purchase, issued a statement “that limited quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification, was discovered in the supply chain.

    “To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit. The source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the authority and NNPC Ltd.”.

    The blame game

    Not willing to take responsibility for the negative economic and social impact of the bad fuel, Kyari accused four oil marketers – MRS, Oando, Duke Oil and a consortium of consisting Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U – of importing the products through a Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase (DSDP) arrangement.

    Three of the four named companies denied importing the bad fuel. One of them, MRS said in a statement that due to the current subsidy regime, NNPC is the sole supplier of all PMS in Nigeria.

    “Consequently, the NNPC through their trading arm, Duke Oil, supplied a cargo of PMS purchased from international trader Litasco and delivered it with Motor Tanker (MT) Nord Gainer. This vessel was discharged in Apapa between the 24th and 30th of January, 2022.

    “Following delivery into tank, it was observed that the product appeared hazy and dark; management immediately directed that further sales should be stopped and the products isolated. Urgent steps were taken to analyse the product to determine the basis for its contamination.

    MRS noted that product analysis revealed that the PMS discharged by Nord Gainer had 20 per cent methanol, an illegal substance in Nigeria, and immediately notified the NNPC, NMDPRA and MOMAN (Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria) and it was confirmed that other marketers had similar experiences; adding that the allegation that it imported contaminated products is “mischievous, false and untrue”

    Similarly, the management of Brittania-U maintained that all its imported products which cover the entire spectrum of upstream, midstream and downstream sectors, met NNPC’s product quality requirements.

    “All the PMS from our mother vessel, MT Torm Hilde were discharged with all relevant certificates of quality after laboratory analysis as it was adjudged lead-free, ethanol-free, water-free, suspended matter-free and had a sulphur content of 0.0174 as against 0.05, which is within the acceptable content allowable by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Authority,” the company stated.

    Investigations by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) revealed that following the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry and the inability of oil marketers to access foreign exchange at a competitive price, the NNPC has remained the sole importer of gasoline.

    Also, while the Corporation has not denied that it is responsible for supervising the industry, it punched a hole in the integrity of its processes when the GMD said that the NNPC’s assessment does not include tests for methanol.

    “It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium & our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content & therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors,” Kyari said.

    A break in supply chain and resulting scarcity, damages

    Acute shortage of PMS was experienced across major cities evidenced by long queues and the presence of jerry can carrying youths along the streets, who jostled to sell the scarce product to motorists for between N300- N700 per litre against the official price of N165.

    In spite of the inconvenience of paying outrageously high amounts for the commodity and the loss of productive hours spent waiting under the scorching sun to buy PMS at the official price, many motorists reported various degrees of damage to their vehicles caused by the bad product.

    Chairman of MOMAN, Olumide Adeosun, said it had recorded at least 136 reported cases of damage to vehicle engines and working to ensure that the clean PMS product received are promptly distributed for the restoration of normal operations.

    “Some bad cases were recorded, including the Ardova PLC case, which led to 136 reported cases of vehicle engines damaged. We have identified the quantum of the problems, traced the sources and know the vessels that discharged the products as well as the depots and filling stations involved.

    Similarly, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission also confirmed that Nigerians who purchased contaminated fuel had experienced technical difficulties and damage to their vehicles, adding that it was engaging regulators and bodies involved in Nigeria’s downstream fuel distribution value chain to mitigate the losses experienced.

    “The commission in the process of its initial investigative assessment understand that consumers who purchased fuel that constitutes part of this consignment have experienced technical difficulties and damage to their vehicles or other relevant equipment/machinery,” it said.

    It said that in furtherance of its investigation, and pursuant to relevant laws, the Commission is currently engaging multiple regulators and relevant entities, particularly with respect to a reasonable and acceptable mechanism to mitigate demonstrated injury and or loss experienced by consumers.

    Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called for a thorough investigation of the matter, stressing that consequences would be visited on all parties responsible for the great danger and inconvenience Nigerians have been subjected to through the supply of adulterated products.

    The NNPC has confirmed receipt of 2.1 billion litres of PMS which will be distributed to restore normalcy and predicted that the lingering fuel crisis would disappear this week and TNG can confirm that the situation has started to ease as shorter lines were observed at some filling stations on Sunday.

  • Fuel scarcity: FG appeals to Nigerians to be patient

    Fuel scarcity: FG appeals to Nigerians to be patient

    The Federal Government has sympathised with Nigerians over unforeseen hardship occasioned by scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and called for patience in finding lasting solutions to the problem.

    Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, made the appeal on Sunday in a statement by his Senior Adviser (Media & Communications), Horatius Egua.

    “In the last weeks, Nigerians have grappled with fuel scarcity not because of the absence of supply of products but due to inspection failure, which allowed adulterated products into the country.

    “This is regrettable, and the Federal Government sympathises with the citizenry over the unforeseen hardship, occasioned by the inevitable scarcity.

    “Let me once again appeal to Nigerians to be patient with government in finding lasting solutions to the crisis,” Sylva said.

    He appreciated the NNPC for showing so much concern to the plight of Nigerians by coming forward with an apology.

    “This is unprecedented and showed that we on the government side are not afraid to take responsibility,” he added.

    The minister also said the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had been out on the streets, fuel stations to ensure that the situation normalise quickly.

    According to him, we are beginning to see the fruits of their efforts.

    “It is not a time to trade blames as is customary in Nigeria. It is, therefore, not a time to query anyone but a time to come together to salvage the plight of the average Nigerian.

    “After the storm settles, there will be time enough to investigate and get to the bottom, so that this does not repeat itself.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari’s charge to all parties and agencies concerned is to work together to ensure that normalcy returns quickly.

    “The Nigerian people deserve the best and the government is determined to set the country on the right path of petroleum products availability and sustainability,” Sylva said.

    This, he said, was demonstrated in the award of the contracts for the rehabilitation of all our refineries and the acquisition of stake in the Dangote Refinery.

  • TUC threatens to withdraw members over fuel scarcity

    TUC threatens to withdraw members over fuel scarcity

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Sunday threatened to withdraw its members if the current fuel scarcity persists across the country.

    Mr Mohammad Yunusa, National Treasurer of TUC, said this in an interview with newsmen during the just concluded delegate conference of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGO).

    Yunusa, who is also the immediate past President-General of the union, called on the Federal Government to identify and punish those that caused the fuel scarcity.

    “We will soon direct workers to stop going to work if the challenge of fuel scarcity across the country persists for the next few days.

    “The congress also demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari should swing into action by identifying and punishing those who caused the scarcity that has brought untold hardship upon Nigerians.

    “The union’s position is very clear. Those who caused this scarcity should be identified and punished very well.

    “The position of SSASCGOC … is workers should stop going to work until there is enough fuel to take them to work.

    “This is the way to do it. We are waiting for our centre to respond to our position but our position in SSASCGOC is that there is no need to go to work and when there is regular supply, then we will start going to work, “he said.

    Yunusa, while speaking on the current strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), called on the Federal Government to fulfill the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the union.

    He noted that the major problem unionism had in Nigeria was that lack of constructive engagements with government.

    “Let’s look at the case of ASUU, they are talking about the agreement they entered with Federal Government many years back and up till now government has not fulfilled it.

    “Over the years because there is no constructive engagements, it is when you call out your members on strike that government will listen to you,” he said.

    The union leader while commending the new elected officials of SSASCGOC implored them to make workers welfare a priority.

    The new elected executive members included Mr Surajudeen Alakija as its new President-General.

    Others are Mr Suleman Aminu, elected as the Deputy President-General, Mr Benjamin Olaka and Francisca Adedayo, emerged as the first and second vice presidents-general, respectively.

    Also elected were Mr Mukthar Adikwu, National Treasurer, Mr Samuel Ajakaye, Internal Auditor, Ogechi James, the Public Relations Officer, while Ajayi Lateef, Yewande Cole and Jubril Isah emerged as the trustees of the association.

  • NNPC expects 2.3 billion litres of PMS to stabilise distribution

    NNPC expects 2.3 billion litres of PMS to stabilise distribution

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited started its week with an assurance to Nigerians that the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would soon normalise after it recalled the bad product imported into the country last week.

    The NNPC Group Executive Director (GED) Downstream, Adetunji Adeyemi, gave the assurance at a briefing in Abuja, while concerted efforts were being made to end the challenges in the supply of petrol.

    Adeyemi stated that the company was expecting over 2.3 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country by the end of February and that over 1 billion litres of the product were currently being distributed nationwide.

    He assured that the product being dispensed at various filling stations in the country was safe, as the expected 2.3 billion litres would restore the sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days.

    Adeyemi explained that in order to accelerate PMS distribution across the country, the company had commenced 24 hours’ operations at its depots and retail outlets.

    He disclosed that NNPC had constituted a monitoring team, with the support of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and other security agencies to ensure smooth distribution of PMS nationwide.

  • Queue to disappear at filling stations by next week – NNPC

    Queue to disappear at filling stations by next week – NNPC

    Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari said that the lingering fuel crisis and its attendant queues at the filling stations will ultimately disappear next week.

    Kyari said that there was already a receipt of 2.1 billion liters which would be distributed to normalize the situation.

    Kyari offered the hope at a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum investigating the circumstances surrounding the importation of adulterated fuel into the country.

    He said: “This National Assembly created the NNPC limited. By God’s grace, I am the CEO of that company. This company will serve the Nigerian people

    “By law, it is required to ensure energy security. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that we provide energy security for this country. This company must operate within the laws of this country and this is what we have always done, and this is what we will continue to do.

    “For this current situation, I assure you that we have taken every necessary step to restore supply into this country. We have placed orders significant enough for us to cross into March, with at least 2.1 billion liters of PMS in our custody.

    “The situation you’re seeing today, I can assure you that by next week, it will vanish. All things being equal because of distribution issues that we may not have control over including the movement of trucks, otherwise we have robust supply arrangement to make sure that we exit this issue.”

    No single liter of PMS is processed locally

    Giving a background process of fuel importation in the country, Kyari regretted that all the fuel consumed in Nigeria was imported.

    He explained that the situation will persist for a long time to time unless the refineries were upgraded.

    “Why do we have this challenge? First of all, we import all the gasoline we use in this country. Every petroleum product we use in this country is not locally processed except a few quantities. Some of them, I can also share with you are coming from sources that may not be illegitimate. Not a single liter of PMS is generated in the country. That means 100 percent of PMS you see in this country is imported. Those imports are done on the basis of existing contractual arrangements that we have. It’s called the direct sale direct purchase process, which is simply with the best of practice to enable our suppliers supply products to us on agreed terms and conditions.

    We have been doing this since I came on board and it’s part of our supply mechanism.

    “Even if all our refineries come up today, except dangote refinery, we will still be in short supply of PMS, because all of our refineries can only make 18 million liters of gasoline. Consumption is certainly above 18 million liters”, he said.

    Evacuation of toxic fuel

    The CEO also explained to the Committee that the specification of the imported was established in consonance with the current regulatory mechanism.

    “Evacuation from depots, we know all the trucks that leave our depots, but we do not know where they end up. This is reality. There is no tracking mechanism to enable this. We also know that some of these products find their way in places that may not be in this country. I don’t have statistics to back this up, but I’m sure smuggling takes place.

    “On the basis of those contracts our suppliers bring products to us and reconcile with them regularly. Part of those supply arrangements, is to give specification to your suppliers. This specification are bound by regulation and the latest that we are using is the one that is in place since 2006. The current specification we have is what is the subject of all our import arrangement. So, all our partners were given those specification and on the basis of this, those imports were made.

    “Before a vessel leaves the load port, they have to declare that those vessel meet our specification. They will send it to COMD, the importer and confirm that this is the specification to do, this product that we are bringing to you meets this specification. On the basis of that, you allow the sail away of the vessel.

    “Now once it comes to the country, two things happen. We have NNPC surveyors who are now also required to validate that this product that have come meets the Nigerian specification. Also, we have the regulatory authority who has to conduct an independent assessment to confirm that this product meets the specification that is in consonance with the existing regulation in the country.

    Why we allowed cargeos to discharge product

    “In case of all the problems we have seen, four of the cargoes that are particularly in question today met all this criteria on arrival and that’s why they were allowed to discharge into terminals and conveyed into ship. There’s simply no way based on the current specification that you will know this PMS contains methanol. It is not part of their requirements at the load port. So we didn’t ask them to declare whether it contains methanol because it is not part of our specification.

    “Let me make it clear that methanol is not contamination. It is a regular addictive to PMS. In China, upto 15 percent PMS contains methanol. On its own, it is not a contamination. The key issue is handling methanol. If we, knew we will not accept this. Anytime methanol comes in contact with water, it emulsifies. It turns into a different chemical.”

    While highlighting a few challenges, Kyari said that NNPC limited rejected 5 vessels billed to come to Nigeria with the product from the same terminal abroad.

    “We have a number of challenges. On depots in the country today, once you evacuate products from the land, you pack it with water because of our peculiar environment. I need to disclose to you that people pack it with water because once you leave PMS in the land, some people will tamper with it. No one does that except NNPC. You can cross check this. Every depot has a way of managing this water that comes into the facility. Every filling station in this country have a challenge of managing water.

    “We didn’t know until our inspecting agents on 20th of January to be precise called our attention to the fact that it has seen emulsification in some of the depots and this maybe a cause of concern. That is how we went ahead to check all the deliveries in our hands from all the four vessels that came that have already discharged and to confirm that all of them contain methanol.

    “We quarantined all the volumes wherever they are in depots and transit. We were able to track them. We were able to trace all of them and quarantine them.

    “Not only that we are also expecting several other supplies to come from other sources, we checked their origin and confirmed that five other vessels are coming from the same shipping terminal that loaded this and we rejected all of them. They did not sail into our waters”, he said.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman, Committee on Petroleum Resources Downstream, Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya said the investigative hearing was called by the House at plenary to identify the possible culprits, bring them to justice and forestall future occurrences.

    “The essence of today’s gathering is to elucidate the current fuel scarcity which has a negative impact on the people. As we are all aware, fuel queues has recently caused gridlock in most of our major cities affecting traffic movements. Some fuel stations are locked while the few that are open have long queues of motorist waiting to buy fuel.

    “This situation is not different in the capital city, Abuja, and our major cities where the majority of filling stations are shut and motorists spent hours in the sun struggling to buy from few that are open.

    “It is a fact that these problem is as a result of the importation of adulterated Premium motor spirit (PMS) which is confirmed to have high percentage of methanol.

    “Even though methanol is a regular additive in petrol but it is usually blended to acceptable quantity. The recent supply are in excess of this additive of which its resultant consequences is injurious to our fragile economy and the generality of our citizens.

    “The House of Representatives at plenary expressed much concern over the development and mandate the committee to conduct investigative hearing on the matter.

    “I therefore call on the Group Managing Director, NNPC Ltd to respond on the resolution of the House, viz investigate the release of adulterated Premium Motor Spirit across the country with a view to ensuring that culprits are brought to book as well as make recommendations towards curbing a reoccurrence of such incident.”

    The chairman added that the Committee will still interface with the four companies identified as the suppliers of the bad fuel in due course.

     

  • Adulterated PMS: Fuel scarcity bites hard in Abuja, Lagos

    Adulterated PMS: Fuel scarcity bites hard in Abuja, Lagos

    Some commuters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have decried increase in transportation fares due to fuel scarcity, making movement in the territory difficult.

    The commuters on Wednesday lamented that their greatest challenge was finding commercial vehicles to their destinations, especially to their places of business or work.

    They said this might be because most of the taxi drivers were either on the long queues in petrol stations or were off the road due to no petrol.

    They therefore called on the authorities concerned to speedily intervene to bring the situation back to normal as many Nigerians were suffering.

    Mr Calistus Emeka, who lives around Mararaba axis, said he had to pay N400 from his area to Wuse area, instead of N200.

    Emeka said as a cleaner, working at the Secretariat, his salary was meager and he could barely afford to continue to pay the increased fare.

    According to him, if nothing is done soon, he may not be able to go to work in the coming days.

    Mr Gabriel Oko, who also lives along the Mararaba axis, said he had to stand by the road side for hours to get a vehicle to work.

    Oko said: “Before getting to town from my area, I stood for hours waiting to get a taxi and could not find one, I had to take a bike to a certain point before getting a taxi.

    “This situation is very pathetic, even with your money, you cannot get a vehicle to convey you to your destination. I just pray this does not linger for a long time.”

    Ms Agatha Sule, who lives along the Gwagwalada axis, said she used to pay N400 to Area 1, but due to the lack of fuel situation, she paid N700 to town.

    “I know there is fuel scarcity in town but I was not prepared for the increased cost of transportation.

    “I work as a secretary in my office. If not for the fact that I have my office keys with me, I would not have gone to work today.

    “This increase is just too much. How do they expect very low income earners like us to survive?

    “The problem is that we are the ones even feeling this pain more.”

    Mrs Lucy James, another commuter, said she paid N350 from Apo axis to Wuse unlike the usual fare of N250.

    James prayed that relevant authorities would intervene, saying this was posing a great challenge for many Nigerians.

    Another passenger who lives in Kubwa/Dutse axis, Theophilus Ada, said the cost of transportation to town had also doubled within the past two days.

    In a similar vein, Mrs Joy Benjamin, a Civil Servant, said she was forced to buy 10 litres of fuel from black market at N5,000 to get to work.

    Benjamin said she had to do that because many fuel stations were not selling the product and the ones selling had very long queues and she did not have time to wait.

    Meanwhile, some motorists who spoke with NAN, revealed that some major fuel stations preferred to sell the product to black marketers who paid them extra money to get it.

    According to Mr Maurice Nze, the attendants have taken advantage of the situation to hide the fuel in the morning time, only to dispense it at night to black marketers.

    “A good number of filling stations are hoarding their products in the day time, but sell it at night to make more gains, this act has contributed to the suffering we are now witnessing.

    “I want to appeal to the government to set up a taskforce to check activities of some of these filling stations both during the day and at night,” Nze appealed.

    A taxi driver, Mr Rufus Nwafor said he spent close to three hours at the station to get fuel.

    According to Rufus, the scarcity is really affecting their business because even after spending so much time at the station to get fuel, passengers find it difficult to pay.

    “We have increased the fare, not because the price has changed at the station but because of the time we spend trying to get the fuel.

    “We are not happy increasing the fare but we have to find a way to make up for the time wasted trying to get fuel.”

    Another taxi driver, Mr Bolanle Segun said he had to buy black market this morning because he could not get fuel at the station.

    Segun said: “This day I do not force anybody to enter my vehicle, if I tell you the price and you are not ready to pay, I will not carry you.

    “This is because we spend hours trying to get fuel and today, just when it was close to my turn to buy, the attendant said the fuel has finished.

    “I had to go and buy from black market along the road side because my tank was empty.’’

    NAN reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (NNPC) on Tuesday said it distributed one billion litres of safe Premium Motor Spirit to various fuel stations nationwide.

    The NNPC also noted that 2.3 billion litres of PMS will arrive Nigeria before the end of February to address the current situation and restore sufficiency.

    Similarly, black marketers on Wednesday took advantage of the lingering scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to make brisk business from residents and motorists in Lagos State.

    The ongoing scarcity of PMS, also known as petrol, is due to the withdrawal of the off-spec products imported into the country from the market.

    A NAN correspondent who monitored the situation at Oshodi, Ojota, Ikeja, Mushin, Surulere, Iyana-Ipaja, Abule Egba and Lekki observed that many filling stations were still not selling petrol.

    Long queues were seen at the few stations selling, with both private and commercial motorists as well residents besieging them as early as 5a.m.

    The vehicular queues led to traffic gridlock on some major roads across the state, especially on the Lekki-Epe axis.

    Black marketers with various sizes of kegs were seen hawking petrol within a few meters of the filling stations.

    Their operations were noticeable in areas such as Ikorodu Road, Mushin, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way and Surulere.

    Some of the marketers were selling a litre of fuel for prices between N180 to N250 per litre depending on the location, demand and negotiating skills of the buyer.

    A commercial bus driver, Mr Wasiu Oyeleke, told NAN that he bought 10 litres of PMS for N2,000.

    “Yesterday, I could not get fuel after I closed for the day and none of the stations in my area is selling.

    “I managed to buy from these boys (black marketers) in Mushin which I am using now,” he said.

    Another commercial bus driver, Mr Emma Udoh, told NAN that he was offered 20 litres of fuel for N3,600 by one of the black marketers but he refused.

    He said: “I remember my last experience in their hands when I bought fuel from them and nearly destroyed my car.

    “I have been here for almost three hours and will wait until I am able to get fuel but it is very frustrating for all of us.

    A tailor, Mr Anu Ayorinde, said operators of small businesses were also suffering from the petrol scarcity due to epileptic power supply by the electricity Distribution Companies.

    Ayorinde said they had to get fuel from the black market for their generators, rather than wait on the queue for hours and be unable to deliver jobs on time for their customers.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. had in a statement issued on Tuesday said it had put measures in place to accelerate nationwide distribution of PMS.

    The NNPC said the distribution was disrupted by the quarantine of methanol blended petrol.

    The company said it had began 24-hour operations at its depots and retail outlets, adding that it had over one billion litres of certified PMS stock that was safe for use in vehicles and machineries.

  • National Assembly summons NNPC over biting fuel scarcity

    National Assembly summons NNPC over biting fuel scarcity

    Members of the House of Representatives are set for a high-powered meeting with the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Limited, Mele Kyari over the importation of adulterated petroleum motor spirit (PMS) into the country and the effects.

    Also, the Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Midstream petroleum regulatory agency, and other officials of the agency are expected at the investigative hearing slated for 10am on Wednesday.

    Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Malam Mele Kyari

    Meanwhile, the lawmakers have expanded the scope of the investigation to why long queues still persisted at the filling stations.

    Tempers had frayed in the House last Thursday over the recent importation of adulterated PMS into Nigeria, which had caused a crisis across the country.

    Ndudi Elumelu, the minority Leader of the House, raised a point of order to decry the hardship caused by shortage of fuel in the Abuja metropolis drawing from his experience.

    http://saharareporters.com/2022/02/16/national-assembly-grill-nnpc-managing-director-others-over-biting-fuel-scarcity

    Elumelu was quoted as saying, “I wanted to come under Order 8 Rules 4 and 7 for us to discuss this issue of lingering fuel crisis in Nigeria. I agree that the NNPC said they had enough but it (the situation) does not seem to tally with their submission that they have enough fuel. There are still some lingering fuel crises in the whole of Nigeria.

    http://thenewsguru.ng/news/fuel-scarcity-moman-directs-members-to-operate-jetties-depots-18-to-24-hours-daily/

    “Today, it was even difficult for me to get here because all the roads are totally blocked by those wanting to get fuel, and there is no fuel. There is already an existing committee saddled with the responsibility of investigating the issue of adulterated fuel.

    “So, I was thinking if we can take it and refer it to them as the House deems fit. We should find out whether there is an interim report to that effect, with the assignment that the House has given to that committee to do.”

    read also http://thenewsguru.ng/news/nnpc-allays-fear-over-fuel-scarcity/

     

  • Fuel scarcity: MOMAN directs members to operate jetties, depots 18 to 24 hours daily

    Fuel scarcity: MOMAN directs members to operate jetties, depots 18 to 24 hours daily

    The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has directed its members to extend the operations of their jetties, depots and filling stations to between 18 to 24 hours daily until queues subside across the country.

    MOMAN’s Chairman, Mr Olumide Adeosun, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos.

    Adeosun said MOMAN members were working with the regulatory authorities and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. towards a resolution of the current fuel crisis.

    He said: “Most importantly, MOMAN members have committed resources towards enhanced operations and associated activities to reduce the burden of the current fuel scarcity to our customers.

    “Towards this purpose, MOMAN members shall extend opening hours of jetties, depots, and filling stations to a minimum of 18 hours a day and where possible up to 24 hours a day in high density and flagship locations where the security situation permits.

    “MOMAN members shall operate these extended hours until the excessive queues subside.”

    He urged customers not to engage in panic buying as it might take a few days for normalcy to return, as the act also increases the pressure on the supply chain.

    Adeosun noted that MOMAN subject matter experts were active contributors to the technical and commercial committees set up by the regulatory authorities.

    According to him, the committees are saddled with re-stocking fuel supplies, resolving the blending of contaminated product and identifying losses suffered by customers, operators and third parties.

    He said MOMAN’s committee of chemists were also working with designated laboratories to double check the quality of product (re-blended or new) before they are released into the fuels supply chain.

  • Fuel scarcity: NNPC commences 24 hour operations at depots, retail outlets

    Fuel scarcity: NNPC commences 24 hour operations at depots, retail outlets

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. says it has started 24-hour operations in NNPC depots and retail outlets, to restore normal supply and distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) across the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the NNPC made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday.

    The statement said :” NNPC Ltd. wish to reassure Nigerians that it has put adequate measures in place to accelerate nationwide distribution of PMS earlier disrupted by the quarantine of methanol blended petrol.

    “The quarantine was a necessary step to safeguard our customers from the potential impact of this PMS grade on vehicles and machineries.

    ”As of today, NNPC has over one billion litres of certified PMS stock that is safe for use in vehicles and machineries.

    “In order to accelerate distribution across the country, we have commenced 24-hour operations at our depots and retail outlets. “

    According to the statement, as part of NNPC’s strategic restocking, over 2.3 billion litres of PMS is scheduled for delivery between now and end of February 2022, which will restore sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days.

    It said the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot Owners and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria had also commenced 24-hour loading and dispensing activities in some of their designated outlets.

    The statement said NNPC monitoring team was collaborating with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and other security agencies to ensure smooth distribution of PMS nationwide.

    “NNPC implores Nigerians to avoid panic buying as there is sufficient volume of PMS in-country and effort is being made to accelerate distribution to all filling stations,” it said.

  • Petrol scarcity: We’ll restore normalcy in Abuja, others in 3 days – NMDPRA

    Petrol scarcity: We’ll restore normalcy in Abuja, others in 3 days – NMDPRA

    The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says normalcy will be restored to petrol stations in Abuja and other areas in about three days following the resumption of loading in Lagos depots.

    Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive, NMDPRA, made this known when he visited some petroleum products depots in Apapa and Ijegun-Egba areas of Lagos State on Wednesday.

    The depots visited by Ahmed who was accompanied by Mr Adeyemi Adetunji, Group Executive Director, Downstream, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., included 11 Plc, NIPCO, A.A. Rano and Emadeb.

    Ahmed said the scarcity was caused by the stoppage of loading for some days when a vessel of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) imported into the country was discovered to contain methanol above the specified volume.

    He said the technical team comprising stakeholders in the downstream sector had been able to identify, isolate and quarantine the limited amount of PMS affected by the methanol volume that was discovered.

    Ahmed said: “We have gone round some of the depots in Apapa and Ijegun-Egba and they are loading.

    “These products that are being loaded have been tested and are being distributed to Lagos and other Northern parts of the country.

    “There is a vessel that just arrived with 39,000 MT, which would be distributed to the major marketers here in Apapa.

    “Once they start loading, Lagos will be cleared in a day or two but trucking from here to Abuja and other areas will take two to three days.”

    He noted that the incident had taught the authority a lesson on the need for extra due diligence in carrying out its regulatory activities.

    “I will not make any excuses. The fact is that there were mistakes made because we received product that was off specification even though there was a surveyor that actually went on board and took sample.

    “Because this parameter was not indicated, they didn’t capture that parameter.

    “So it was a mistake but now going forward, obviously we have to balance all these parameters and components of imported products not only PMS but other petroleum products.

    “The component that was in excess was methanol and the fuel was not toxic or something that can destroy the environment but it was a matter of how it affects machineries and vehicles,” said Ahmed.

    He said the withdrawn products would be re-blended to ensure it met the country’s specification.

    According to him, it will be tested to ensure it is of good quality and recertified before it is redistributed into the market.