The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) has been urged by the Ejigbo Satellite Depot of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to give same window given to Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) to buy fuel at regulated depot price of N148.17 per litre, according to Daily Trust reports.
Chairman, IPMAN Ejigbo Depot, Akin Akinrinade, made the appeal in Lagos on Wednesday while addressing the media on the price disparity of petrol to IPMAN members by depot owners.
Akinrinade wondered why private depots get petrol from NNPCL at official rate of N148. 17 per litre but sell at N220 per liter ex-depot price to IPMAN.
He, however, issued a seven-day ultimatum to NNPCL to work out a concrete arrangement for IPMAN to buy fuel at regulated price of N148.17 per litre.
He said lPMAN had an agreement with NNPCL on fuel supply but had refused to adhere to the agreement.
“We have noticed the price disparity at which NNPC is selling petrol to major marketers at regulated price and the private depot are selling to the independent marketers at N220 per litre.
“Major marketers are selling at the rate of N170 per litre in their stations and retail outlets are selling at N169 at their stations.
“The private depots are selling ex-depot price at N220 per litre to us, which means that after paying N220 per litre, we still have to add other costs like transportation, logistics among other costs.”
According to the chairman, this has led to an increase in the price of petrol at IPMAN stations, adding that members now sell at N250 per litre and above to stay in business.
“We are no longer comfortable with this because Nigerians now see us as the black sheep.
“So, we want Nigerians to know that it is not of our making and that the authorities should address the issues around the price disparity”.
Akinrinade said that members found themselves in such situation due to moribund NNPCL depots that were neglected.
“We loaded here last at satellite depot in Lagos since December 2021, but, throughout 2022, we have not load a drop of product here.
”Ordinarily, NNPC is supposed to make arrangement for us to load through the private depots but they have abandoned that arrangement.
“That’s why we have no choice but to buy from the private depot owners who use us to make money.
“I wonder why they’re now selling to us at N220 per litre,” he said.
