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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
As majority of Nigerians battle perennial petrol scarcity, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi Shettima, the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has adduced reasons why the horror persists.
In a recent interview with Daily Sun, he shed light on the challenges marketers face, including the hurdles preventing them from importing petrol, while also exploring potential solutions to ease the fuel crisis.
He emphasised compressed natural gas (CNG) as a viable alternative fuel that could reshape Nigeria’s energy landscape. He also expressed optimism about the Dangote Refinery’s potential to alleviate the country’s energy woes and support a more sustainable fuel supply chain.
Real reasons for unending petrol scarcity nightmare in Nigeria
Well, unending that you have said, we really cannot say unending. The only thing we can say is that there is a shortage. But not always. Therefore, it is not something that we call unending scarcity.
The cause, as we are all aware, is the fact that in Nigeria, we do not refine petroleum products. We heavily depend on importation. So, whenever there is importation, from time to time, there must be some logistic problem, just like what is happening now. There is a logistics problem because some of the mother ships that normally carry product from the outside, and you know, we have to use the smaller ships to carry it to the various depots or tank farms. So, actually, there are some slight problems in the sea whereby those smaller vessels that carry the product cannot pass because of the problem of the water there. There is sand that normally holds them before they can be able to come to the deck. That is just a small gap that we are having. And that is the reason why you have been seeing small scarcity going on.
So, what would you suggest as the solution to this issue?
Suggestion, generally, is that we should try as much as possible and see how we can put our refineries in order. That is number one.
Secondly, we are advising the NNPCL to find ways to utilise their higher volume of products during periods of abundance, when there is no scarcity. They should consider using some of our strategic depots, which are owned by NNPCL, to create a reserve. In the event of a supply issue, they can then begin loading from these depots.
So, are you also hopeful that the Dangote Refinery will go a long way in solving the persistent issue of scarcity and price hike?
Yes, definitely that is what we are expecting. So, by the time we have refineries in Nigeria and we stop importing, actually we are expecting availability of the product in the country.
Do you think CNG will serve as a sustainable alternative to petrol?
The CNG programme that you see they are doing is the solution. So, at least the pressure that people put on the PMS or diesel will be highly reduced. So, it is a solution as it is cheaper. And normally you know Nigeria is a gas country. We have a lot of gas, this CNG, we have it in the country.
And, you know, it is normally very cheap. It is not at a higher cost. The cost is not much.
So, actually, it will be the solution if Nigerians choose to go that way. And as you know, Mr. President is seriously working towards that. In most of the cases, you have been seeing how he has been putting pressure so that Nigerians will key into the programme.
So, it will be part of the solution that we are expecting when it is available. Definitely, Nigerians will enjoy the benefit.
Petroleum marketers are often called independent devils by a cross section of the society because they are seen as a strongly unified cabal that keeps peppering consumers with arbitrary price hikes. What is your response to that?
We are not a cabal. The independent petroleum marketers, as you know, we are the people who cover almost 85% retail outlets in the country.
And we are Nigerians. And we always want Nigeria’s progress. So, there is no way we can be a cabal.
All we are after is Nigerian progress. How fuel will be available all over the country, not only in the cities, even in the villages, and other places.
What sort of in-house cleansing does your union carry out on members especially in the area of dubiously adjusting the pumps?
No, you know, you cannot say pump adjustment to the independent petroleum marketers because we have a privilege of increasing our prices So, how will we adjust our pump? Adjusting the pump price is not common practice among independent marketers because it could drive customers away from their stations. It is also important to note that not all fueling stations are owned by independent marketers.
NNPC Ltd is the sole importer. Who told you that they are not the sole importer? They are the sole importer of PMS. Nobody can import fuel apart from them.
But the deregulation of the downstream sector was also to allow others to obtain licenses to import. No, not yet. That is what we are even requesting now. Let us find a chance whereby we too the independent petroleum marketers can start importing, and this can only be done when we can get the privilege which NNPC is getting, then we can be able to start importing.
What kind of privilege, sir?
That is, an enabling environment.
Your association has been recently entangled in some sort of leadership tussle, what is this all about? Has it been resolved?
Yes, definitely it has been resolved. We have been having this crisis for the past 11 years, but God so kind, during this my tenure, the IPMAN now is one in the whole federation.
It does not have any factions. We work together and we are moving. Our marketers are very happy.
