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  • IPMAN threatens to shut down filling stations, cut fuel supply nationwide from Tuesday

    IPMAN threatens to shut down filling stations, cut fuel supply nationwide from Tuesday

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has stated plans are underway by its members to shut down all filling stations across the country.

    IPMAN warned it might also cut down supplies from Tuesday should the Federal Government and Inspector General of Police fail to address alleged illegalities perpetrated by the Police Force.

    National Public Relation Officer, (PRO) of IPMAN, Yakubu Suleiman, said these on Sunday in a chat with reporters in Jos.

    Some police officers last Friday were alleged to have invaded IPMAN National Secretariat for some unstated reasons.

    Suleiman described the invasion as an illegal clampdown over alleged sponsorship by some impostors parading themselves as executives of IPMAN.

    He said aggrieved members and officials at State, zonal and depot levels have met and resolved to shut down filling stations over the incident.

    “Whereas there is subsisting Supreme Court judgement of December 2018, that have since disposed off a suit No. SC15/2015, and ordered that Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, is our President and Alhaji Danladi Garba Pasali, as National secretary.

    “The continued violation of this judgement, even by the police is causing more harm to the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, which if such is not halted will lead to impunity and anarchy,” he said.

    He frowned at the police siege on their Secretariat, adding similar incident led to the closure of Suleja depot last week.

    He claimed the Suleja incident would have truncated supplies to Abuja and Northern States if not for the National Secretariat intervention.

    “It is true that members of IPMAN in many States across sections of Nigeria, have met and others are meeting and communicating to us that they will shut down, from Tuesday.

    “The implications would be there will be a shortage or fuel scarcity in the country,” he said.

    The IPMAN PRO called on the Chief Justice of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC, the National Assembly and Inspector General of Police to act in protection of laid down rules of law.

    “We are calling on all arms of government including the security agencies to take the necessary action, towards halting impunity in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry,” he said.

  • No hike in petrol price for now – Marketers

    No hike in petrol price for now – Marketers

    Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) say there is no hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol.

    The groups confirmed the development in separate interviews on Friday in Lagos while reacting to reports that the price of PMS has been increased to N212.61 per litre.

    Currently petrol sells at N162 and N165 per litre at most filling stations across the country.

    Mr Clement Isong, the Executive Secretary, MOMAN, told NAN that the association had received communication from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that there should be no price increment for PMS.

    Isong said, “NNPC has told us that they will not increase prices in March. If you recall, they have made a statement on that earlier and have reconfirmed to us that there is no increment.

    “They have also put it out on their social media handles.’’

    According to him, queue noticed at filling stations in some states of the country in recent weeks is due to speculation that there will be price increase.

    “What NNPC did was to take out the speculation by giving assurance that price will not go up in March and that killed the queue and demand went down.

    “What they have done again this morning is to take out the speculation out of the market. They always have enough products,’’ he said.

    Isong added that MOMAN had advised its members to continue retailing with the old price regime.

    Similarly, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, President, IPMAN said marketers had received communication from NNPC that there would not be any price increment until government and organised labour concluded their deliberations.

    “There is no increment. Government is still talking with labour. What we are even concerned about is total deregulation of the market.

    “There are other alternative sources of energy to PMS and we cannot continue to focus all our attention only on that product.

  • We are not aware of petrol price hike – IPMAN

    We are not aware of petrol price hike – IPMAN

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says it has not received any official communication on Fuel price hike.

    The Chairman of the association in Kano State, Alhaji Bashir DanMalam stated this while briefing newsmen on Friday in Kano over the report going round that the pump price was increased to over N212 per litre.

    The chairman directed all his members to continue selling the litre at the old price adding that it had not received any official communication from the federal government.

    He told newsmen that whenever there was fuel increment, critical stakeholders would inform the IPMAN leadership, and urged the general public to disregard the ongoing rumour.

    Danmalam said, “the leadership of IPMAN has consulted critical stakeholders in the petroleum sector and informed them that there is no such decision of fuel increment for now.” he said.

    The chairman said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had enough fuel for distribution across the country and urged the public to avoid panic buying.

  • IPMAN begs FG to allow investors run nation’s ailing refineries

    IPMAN begs FG to allow investors run nation’s ailing refineries

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has advised the Federal Government to allow investors to take over the running of the country’s three refineries.

    Alhaji Danladi Pasali, National Secretary of IPMAN, stated this, reacting to a report that the pump price of petrol might likely get to N190 per litre and the price of crude oil hit 60 dollars per barrel in the international market.

    “We can run it successfully in collaboration with our foreign investors,” he said.

    Speaking at the official launch of Nigerian Upstream Cost Optimisation Programme in Abuja, Minister State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva said with no provision of subsidy in the 2021 budget, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, cannot continue to bear the cost of under-recovery.

    At present, the pump price of petrol ranges from N160 –N165, the price band set when crude traded just above 43 dollars per barrel four months ago.

    In an interview with NAN, Pasali, commending government’s efforts, said that IPMAN controlled 80 per cent of the downstream sectors.

    “IPMAN controls 80 per cent of the downstream sectors of the industry and with our investments running into trillion, government should give us the three refineries.

    “We can run it successfully in collaboration with our foreign investors,” he said.

    Pasali said that allowing investors to take over would help in making the government’s job easy and improve the economic development.

    He said increasing petrol price for now was not a good thing, as the economic index shows that the county was in economic hardship.

    “The capacity of people buying the products is low now compared to before, for example some people buy petrol of N1,500 for their cars but it was not like that in the past.”

    Pasali also advised the government to call for stakeholders’ meeting to help solve the problem.

    “We can look at other means because there are so many things in the oil template, for example to see how we can reduce the tension.

    “There are so many charges in the template like the unnecessary marine charges that can be reduced and it can help reduce the tension, among other suggestions.”

  • Why some filling stations in Lagos are not selling fuel – IPMAN

    Why some filling stations in Lagos are not selling fuel – IPMAN

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Friday said that filling stations in Lagos were not selling fuel because of uncertainty of the new pump price.

    IPMAN’s President, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, made this known in an interview in Lagos.

    The Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) had adjusted the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, from N147. 67 to N155.17 effective Nov. 13.

    A NAN correspondent who monitored the situation at Ikeja, Iyana-Ipaja and Abule-Egba areas of Lagos State observed that only a few filling stations were still selling petrol at the old pump price of N159 per litre.

    Others, especially those owned by independent marketers, were not opened for business thereby creating fear of fuel scarcity among motorists and residents of the areas.

    However, Okoronkwo told NAN that there was no need for panic buying because the move was based on the price notation to marketers by the PPMC.

    He said: “We buy from them and we heard that there is a new ex-depot price.

    “Now people will like to know whether that is true from the source so that they will not sell at a loss.

    “So the marketers are waiting for clarification from PPMC because a lot of people were not privy to have seen the memo.

    “Hopefully, it will be resolved soon and everybody will start selling.’’

    Okoronkwo insisted that the Federal Government was right to remove subsidy on PMS in spite of the hike in the pump price of petrol which may hit N170 soon.

    He said: “We know this was bound to happen as the price is now determined by market forces but it will be beneficial to the country in the long run.

    “More investors are coming into the sector and once we are able to refine our products locally, the pump prices will reduce.

    “Walter Smith Refinery in Imo is already up and running and people have started loading products from there. Dangote Refinery in Lagos will soon start operation too.

    “We have others in Bayelsa and Rivers and by 2021 we will be expecting the prices to stabilise.’’

  • IPMAN seeks quick resolution of FG, PENGASSAN dispute

    IPMAN seeks quick resolution of FG, PENGASSAN dispute

    The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called for a quick resolution of the dispute between the Federal Government and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

    IPMAN’s President, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, who made the call in an interview on Thursday in Lagos, said “Although the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had assured the public that there would be no shortage in fuel supply”.

    He noted that a lingering strike by PENGASSAN could have a negative effect on the nation’s oil and gas industry.

    “They are very important in the value chain of distribution and supply of petroleum products and nobody should underrate their importance.

    “The government should listen to them and find a common ground because a lingering strike by them is not good for the industry,’’ he told NAN.

    Okoronkwo, however, stressed that IPMAN was an association and not a trade union and would continue to render its services to ensure that petroleum products get to the end users.

    PENGASSAN had on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike, following the expiration of an earlier seven-day ultimatum given to the government to agree to its demands.

    The action followed the protracted disagreement between PENGSSAN and the federal government, over the latter’s directive on registration of its members on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

    The union’s President, Mr Felix Osifo, in a statement issued on Wednesday that said their meeting with the government was inconclusive as their demands were yet to be addressed

    Osifo also accused the federal government of not attaching importance to the committee that was set up to look into the matters of unpaid arrears, as government negotiators did not turn up for meetings.

  • Marketers speak on new price of petrol

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has called on its members to immediately comply with the recent reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

    The call followed the recent new price announced by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Alhaji Bashir Danmalam, the Chairman of the association in Kano, in a press statement on Tuesday in Kano.

    According to him, all marketers under my jurisdiction should immediately comply with the new price modulation advice by making sure no one sells above the approved ceiling of N123.50 per litre.

    He further assured the public of a steady supply and distribution of petroleum products at all times and in all circumstances.

    Danmalam also commended the Federal Government for the development, and ensuring stable supply and distribution of the product, despite the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He further prayed to God to bring the end of the challenge, while advising both the public and marketers to continue to observe all public health measures of personal hygiene and social distancing.

    Recently, PPPRA, had announced a slight reduction in the pump price of the PMS in the country. In a memo containing the new price guideline for the month of June, titled ‘A.4/9/017/C.2/IV/70131’, the PPPPRA pegged the petrol pump price band between N121 to N123.50 per litre.

    According to the agency, the ex-depot price band is now N100.13 and N108.13 per litre while ex-depot for collection is N108.78 and N111.78 per litre.

  • IPMAN, NUPENG address mounting fuel scarcity, assure of sufficient product

    IPMAN, NUPENG address mounting fuel scarcity, assure of sufficient product

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), have urged Nigerians to stop panicking over fuel scarcity as there is sufficient product.

    The duo said this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos against the backdrop of the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country.

    The association confirmed that about six vessels of imported petrol ordered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were currently discharging the product, assuring that the corporation has sufficient products.

    Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, the National President of IPMAN, told NAN that there was no need for panicking over fuel scarcity, as virtually all the NNPC depots across the states had commence loading of petroleum product by marketers.

    ‘’Marketers are currently loading petrol in Makurdi, Kano, Enugu, Aba,Yola, Suleja, Kaduna, Ejigbo, Mosinmi, Ibadan and other depots across the country.

    ‘’The shortfall in distribution was due to slow pace of product importation and hitches at the jetty which had been addressed.

    ‘’But the Federal Government is on top of the situation, there is enough of petrol to go round. I have also instructed all our members to ensure adequate distribution of the product across the country.

    “I have also directed them to ensure product is sold at official price of N145 per litre. If there is any issues on distribution and pricing differentials, members should call the secretariat for further action.

    ‘’The Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) template has not changed, so, no marketer should influence hike or sell above official price,’’ he said.

    Okoronkwo reaffirmed the commitment of the association toward supporting the Federal Government’s efforts on effective and efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.

    He stressed further that IPMAN had so far reached an agreement with other marketers for better synergy in making the product available in the country.

    “IPMAN which controls 80 per cent outlets, has more advantage in distributing and dispensing in both urban and hinterlands in the country.

    “In line with the Federal Government’s efforts at ensuring efficient petroleum products distribution across the country, IPMAN members have opted for a seamless distribution of petroleum products,’’ he said.

    He noted that such synergy amongst members with the Federal Government, would present a common front that would advance the interest of the group and ensure smooth distribution of the products across the country.

    Mr Tayo Aboyeji, Chairman, Lagos Zone of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), also colloborated the IPMAN’s president, saying “there is enough fuel, Nigerians should avoid panic buying’’.

    Aboyeji said that “there is fuel and it is available, as I am talking to you now, some of the depots have received the products and are already loading.

    “What is happening was panic buying, people think there might be price increase from government or removal of subsidy.

    “But nothing of such, government has assured us that no increase in petrol pricing for now, so, Nigerians and marketers should avoid being panic over fuel scarcity.

    “I urge Nigerians and motorists to avoid storing of petrol at home because it’s dangerous for us, fuel is available, I have visited some depots and I can confirmed to you that loading is going on.

    ‘’As at Friday, we have instructed our tanker drivers to engage in 24-hours loading activities and lift products from depots to filling stations across the country.

    “We will ensure 24-hours service delivery of product distribution in the country, we also urge government to checkmate activities of the task force in Lagos and along Ibadan expressway.

    “Our members are being extorted and harassed by members of the task force. Some drivers who were scheduled to load in Lagos were denied asses to Lagos, which also affects effective distribution of products,’’ he said.

    Alhaji Debo Ahmed, the Chairman, Western Zone of IPMAN, however attributed the ongoing queues at some stations was due to shortfall in NNPC distribution network to depots.

    Ahmed said that all depots within the South-West zone were loading at a low pace due to insufficient products.

    “We have lots of pending tickets from marketers awaiting loading at depots but were still stranded.

    Also, Alhaji Ayo Alanamu, the Chairman, IPMAN Ejigbo Satellite depot, attributed the challenges to shortfall of the product from NNPC.

    Alanamu said that marketers, IPMAN and NNPC retails battled with 40-trucks on daily basis which was not sufficient.

    He urged government to expedite action toward importing more products to avoid another round of scarcity that had ended.

    He noted that depot owners were also contributing to the scarcity due to the hike in pricing.

    NAN recalls that on April 12, NNPC said trending social media report of an impending fuel scarcity due to purported refusal by some oil marketers to lift products from depots was false.

  • Petrol queues: IPMAN wants FG to demolish 2,000 illegal filling stations

    Petrol queues: IPMAN wants FG to demolish 2,000 illegal filling stations

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has advocated immediate demolition of over 2,000 identified illegal filling stations operating across the country, to check the persistent scarcity of petroleum products.

    The Chairman of Board of Trustees of IPMAN, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, gave the suggestion when he fielded questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Sunday.

    Abdulkadir, who was one of the participants at the recent meeting of critical stakeholders in the nation’s oil sector, said the demolition of the retail outlets had become necessary to ensure availability of the products.

    The meeting, which was presided over by the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, was convened by the presidency to find lasting solutions to problems of petroleum scarcity and diversion of the commodity in the country.

    He said the exercise, if carried out by the Federal Government, would also serve as deterrent to those who might want to frustrate Federal Government’s efforts towards ensuring stability and sanity in the oil sector.

    “But what is true is that there are people who are not licensed marketers, who have access to these products and they are doing what they like best because they want to profiteer from it, thereby constituting these problems for government, marketers and Nigerians at large.

    “And these over 2,000 unlicensed marketers are neither IPMAN nor DAPMAN members.

    “These are people who are lawless. They are people who are also associated with bunkerers and these bunkerers are being encouraged because there are buyers and who are those buyers.

    “The buyers are those people who are constructing filling stations without any documentation. They are not members of NOMAN, they are not members to IPMAN, they are not members to DAPMAN and they are not under the retail of the NNPC.

    “That is why at the critical stakeholders’ meeting I suggested that such petrol stations should be demolished.

    “I also reemphasised this at the National Assembly that such illegal retail outlets should be demolished,’’ he added.

    He, however, said that those illegal retail outlets, particularly the ones along the nation’s borders which might meet national requirements, could be converted to NNPC outlets.

    He stated that such retail outlets should be managed by the Nigeria Labour Congress through transparency arrangements, to ensure effective and efficient supply of the products in the affected areas.

    “I will recommend that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) should be given these illegal outlets along the borders to manage them.

    “If we operate this business with transparency, everybody will be happy.’’

    On full deregulation of the oil sector, Abdulkadir, who was one time National President of IPMAN, said government should consider many factors before taking decision on complete deregulation of the sector.

    According to him, prices of petroleum products always affect the quality of life of the citizens.

    He, however, lauded the government for its decision to maintain the current pump price of petrol at N145 per litre, adding that some drastic measures put in place by the NNPC and PPMC would ensure stability in supply chain of the commodity.

    “You see this regulation or deregulation, NNPC as a national oil company has two responsibilities; one is to run the company on economical indexes, the other one is the social responsibility because it is a national oil company.

    “But with the position government has taken now, we have seen that both the Federal Government and NNPC have taken a strong position to resolve these issues once and for all.

    “And we also, the genuine marketers, are collaborating with them; we are augmenting all their shortfalls to see that they succeed, if they succeed we succeed and they fail we all fail.

    “We have colossal investments in this country for God sake, we have colossal investments in trillions not billions. So, no one will like to wash down his or her investment,’’ he said.

    Abdulkadir also commended the government for ensuring security of life and property of all citizens, saying that marketers had been carrying out their lawful duties across the country without fear of being attacked by criminals.

    The chairman added, “before this time we were afraid in this country; if actually tomorrow one of your oil terminals would not be burnt down by Boko Haram or your filling station would not be gutted into fire by Boko Haram.

    “Today, we are grateful to the government that they were able to secure all these.

    “If for nothing, we should be able to give government maximum cooperation and support which we are giving.’’

     

  • Invest more in modular refineries to end fuel scarcity, IPMAN advises FG

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Tuesday advised the Federal Government to invest more in modular refineries as a way to end fuel scarcity.

    Its Chairman, South-west zone, Alhaji Debo Ahmed, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo only two days ago in Lagos, confirmed that 10 modular refineries were at advanced stages of development in the Niger Delta.

    The 10 modular refineries are located in five out of the nine states in the Niger Delta.

    The states include Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Imo states.

    Osinbajo said two of the refineries, Amakpe Refinery (Akwa Ibom), and OPAC Refinery (Delta State), have had their mini-refinery modules already fabricated, assembled and containerized overseas and ready for shipment to Nigeria for installation.

    The total proposed refining capacities of the 10 licensed refineries stands at 300,000 barrels.

    Ahmed said the modular refineries could help address any shortfall in fuel supply pending when additional refineries would be built.

    “It will also boost the country’s revenue generation and address frequent fuel capacity experienced during the yuletide seasons.

    “Our expectation in 2018 is for the government to invest more on modular refineries to be able to have more petrol locally to address scarcity,’’ he said.

    Ahmed said government had performed credibility well in the downstream sector in 2017, adding that it should crown it by building more modular refineries.

    According to him, a modular refinery is cheaper to build and it can move from one place to another.

    “A modular refinery is capable of refining between 10,000 and 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day,’’he said.

    He also urged the government to provide incentives that would attract investors to the oil and gas sector.