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By Chinelo Obogo
National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Nigeria (IPMAN), Mike Osatuyi, has revealed that contrary to reports that Nigerians consume 100 million litres of fuel on a daily basis, the actual amount consumed is not above 60 million per day.
This figure contradicts an earlier one given by the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, who was reported to have said that the country consumes 102 million litres of petrol daily.
Osatuyi claimed that Nigeria actually consumes 60 million litres daily, while the balance of 42 million is smuggled daily to Benin, Togo, Ghana, Niger and Chad even though these countries reportedly import, at least, 98 per cent of their Premium Motor Spirit, while smugglers fill the supply deficit because of the margin between Nigeria’s pump price and what obtains in their respective countries.
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, also expressed doubt about claims that Nigeria consumes 100 million litres of fuel daily. After he met recently with heads of security and paramilitary agencies in Abuja, Lawan tasked the security agencies to do more to checkmate smuggling of petroleum products out of Nigeria.
