The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has warned that the ongoing scarcity of petrol, which started since December 2017 may continue if the right steps are not taken by the authorities to address the problem.

The Chairman, IPMAN, Western Zone, Mr. Debo Ahmed, who gave this indication, also said the NNPC had no capacity to meet the nation’s total petrol demand.

Ahmed, whose zone covers Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Kwara, Ondo and Ekiti states, spoke during a media briefing in Ilorin, Kwara State, noting that the NNPC had been the sole importer and distributor of petrol, a situation he described as a dangerous monopoly.

This, he said, was destroying the nation’s economy.

He said that fuel scarcity would only abate if the NNPC could massively import the PMS and distribute with IPMAN, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and the NNPC to all retail outlets or the corporation’s mega stations.

He suggested that 40 per cent should be allocated to IPMAN; MOMAN, 30 per cent; and the remaining 30 per cent to the NNPC (mega stations).

He appealed to the concerned authorities to make all depots functional to aid easy distribution of the product, adding that the NNPC should massively import petrol to address the scarcity in many parts of the country.

He said, “The fuel scarcity will definitely continue; there is no product in the system. The NNPC has no capacity to do the job they are doing now, that is importing petroleum products. Because of subsidy, they disallowed marketers from importing and as such the importation cannot meet the demand.

“The GMD of the NNPC said marketers were supposed to sell petrol at N145 per litre but where is the product to sell at N145? The product is not there. The little they have, the distribution system, which they are using now, has actually derailed the whole system of distribution in the country.

“They (NNPC) import 100 per cent; they will distribute 100 per cent; they will start selling at 50 per cent.  According to them, they import the whole petrol we need in this country; they will now distribute it to both private and government depots that are working. They have their mega stations. Out of this allocation, they will give them 50 per cent and their mega stations all over the country are less than 700.”

According to him, IPMAN with 80 per cent of market share was allocated only 30 per cent of the imported fuel, adding that MOMAN with 16.5 per cent market share was allocated 20 per cent of the product.

Ahmed said, “With this distribution pattern, the NNPC/Petroleum Product Marketing Company is strangulating IPMAN members.”