January 11, 2018

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Thursday said that petrol allocations by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to Ibadan Depot was grossly inadequate.

Alhaji Raimi Tayo, Chairman, Ibadan Depot of IPMAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that independent marketers hardly loaded 12 trucks daily.

Tayo said that the situation was causing scarcity of petrol in the hinterlands.

According to him, the depot which usually loads six million litres on daily basis has reduced the loads to 400,000 litres per day.

He said that the development affected business activities of independent marketers.

He alleged that the Federal Government gave more attention, in terms of product allocations, to private depots.

“Petroleum products allocation to Ibadan Depot was grossly inadequate.

“We have appealed to the government through the NNPC to pump enough products to the depot so that marketers can be in business.

“ As at this morning, private depots are selling at N158 per litre as against the government-regulated ex-depot price of N133.28 kobo,’’ he said.
Tayo appealed to the government to clamp down on depot owners who sold above ex-depot price to marketers.

According to him, although members of the public accuse marketers of selling above the official pump price, there is no way marketers will sell petrol at N145 per litre at filling stations when the product is sold for between N158 and N162 per litre at private depots.

The IPMAN chairman appealed to the NNPC to make petrol available to marketers at depots to ease distribution to hinterlands.

He condemned government directives asking marketers to source for the product at private depots.

“This is wrong and unprofitable.’’
Tayo said that pipeline vandalism and inadequate pumping of petroleum products from System 2B – at Mosinmi – to Ibadan was also a challenge.

The daily petrol pricing survey made available to NAN from Apapa Depot showed that all the depots sell above ex-depot price of N133.28.
NIPCO, N160; Chipet, N162; Rahamaniyyah, N152.50k; Obat, N152; Aiteo, N160; A.A Rano, N160.

A depot owner, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that no depot owner imported petrol, adding that petrol loading still belonged to NNPC since it was the sole importer.
Reacting, NNPC Group General Manager (Public Affairs), Ndu Ughammadu, said: “We sell to them at the official price.

“We have not increased ex-depot price.

“The appropriate agencies are monitoring.’’