By Taiwo Adeyemi

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN has said only retail outlets operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL enjoy  Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly called Petrol subsidy in the country. 

IPMAN’s Kwara State Chairman, Abdulateef Kamaja made the remarks while featuring as a guest on Diamond FM, Ilorin Kwara State Yoruba Language News and Current Affairs programme “E ba wa da si” on Thursday, August 22nd, 2024. 

Fuel scarcity has resurfaced across the country as many filling stations are experiencing queues and selling at exorbitant prices. 

Kamaja maintained that only retail outlets operate by the NNPCL are enjoying fuel subsidy in Nigeria and that is the reason those outlets sell at a cheaper price. 

“You can get a liter at the NNPCL outlet for N580 but Independent marketers can’t sell at the price”.

“NNPCL is not having any fuel, even most of the depots are not having, those with little fuel are selling at an exorbitant price for us and many people have tagged independent marketers enemies of the nation”. 

“We don’t fix price, we sell at the price we bought from the depots”. 

He furthered that NNPCL is not supposed to operate retail outlets across the country.

“NNPCL does not have many outlets, except in some cities but Independent marketers that have more outlets across the country are not enjoying any subsidy, NNPCL retail outlets have pushed some of us out of business”. 

“NNPCL is giving enough fuel to major marketers that have many outlets across the country but people like us that have just two to three outlets in a state are being starved”.

“Some of our members are not making enough profits after investing millions of naira”.

Kamaja berated the administration of President Bola Tinubu for removing petrol subsidy instead of finding a lasting solution to corruption in the subsidy scheme.

“They said they were taking our subsidized fuel to neighboring countries, why can’t they find a means of securing our borders”.

“The Nigerian government likes to shy away from addressing the root cause of issues, if they encounter another problem in the sector they are pumping subsidy revenue, would they scrap it also”.

“IPMAN raised alarm when President Tinubu said the subsidy has gone but many people said we are angry because we won’t have access to free money but we are all feeling the pain today”.

He reiterated that IPMAN is not having joy at selling exorbitant fuel pump prices but only selling according to the market force”.

“Decision to float the naira against foreign currency and subsidy removal at the same time is a bad policy”.

“We are not happy selling at an exorbitant price and major outlets and NNPCL retail outlets selling at a cheaper price and we see people buying from us because they can’t queue”. 

“We are treated as third class citizens in our country”. 

Full programme link:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/DabMS8Ea7fjmwm9o/?mibextid=qi2Omg