IPMAN’s deal with Dangote refinery will curb importation of adulterated petrol, says group

The APC Vanguard for Optimum Transparency and Accountability (APC-VOTA) has commended the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for reaching an agreement with Dangote Petroleum Refinery. 

On October 29, Aliko Dangote said his refinery holds over 500 million litres of petrol, wondering why oil marketers were not buying the product.

In its response, IPMAN said members had been unable to load petrol from the refinery.

Abubakar Garima, IPMAN president, said the association paid N40 billion to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, but still could not source the product.

The refinery however said it had not received any payment for refined petroleum products.

In a statement, Shola Olatunji and Waheed Isiaka, the group’s president and secretary respectively, said IPMAN’s agreement with the refiner to lift petrol and diesel directly will eliminate scarcity of the product particularly during the yuletide.

“Aside from making the products available across the country thereby defeating the usual artificial scarcity during the yuletide, lifting from the Dangote refinery will also strengthen our currency against foreign currencies and make our economy pick again,” the statement reads.

The group said the deal will also curb the importation of adulterated petrol.

There have been claims that some marketers are importing substandard petrol.

“It will also save Nigerians from buying adulterated and high sulphur density petroleum products currently being imported into the country by some unscrupulous oil marketers, under the supervision of the so-called regulators who value their pockets more than the welfare of the people,” the group said.