The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has warned that petrol might soon be scarce in the country.
The warning was given on Tuesday, January 10, by IPMAN Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Dankigari.
Dakingari said that a scarcity was imminent because the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was no longer loading petrol.
“If care is not taken there will be fuel (petrol) scarcity because private depots have started increasing their rates; they are selling the product at a higher rate now in Calabar,” he told The Nation.
“Secondly, the cost of diesel is increasing. It is between N250 to N270 per litre. You can see that the cost of diesel is high but it is equally available because it has been deregulated. In addition, PEF that is supposed to be paying the transport fare is not paying.
“So, the marketers have decided to keep their trucks. The money PEF is owing marketers is now over N200billion. If this trend continues, there will be scarcity and the products will be very difficult to get. There is no kerosene at all.
“The major problem is that in Calabar, marketers are buying this product at N138 to N140 from the private depots. You know that what the NNPC said we should collect is N133 NNPC but they are not loading,” he added.
He also said that the marketers had decided to park their trucks since the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) was already owing them over N200 billion.
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