NUPENG: We will not lift PMS for depot owners selling above official price

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says its members will not lift products for depot owners selling Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) above the official depot price of N148.77.

Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG’s secretary-general, said this in an interview with NAN on Tuesday in Lagos. 

The official depot price, also known as an ex-depot price, is the price at which depot owners sell the product to retail outlets and fuel marketers across the country.

Last month, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) had confirmed the importation of petrol with methanol quantities.

The development caused long queues across major cities as many filling stations shut down services to contain the spread of the off-spec petrol.

Last Friday, the union had issued a 24-hour ultimatum, with effect from February 27, to marketers to revert to the official rate of N148.77.

The union had accused the oil marketers of exploiting Nigerians by inflating the prices of PMS from their depots. 

“One of the lines of action we are going to take is any depot that is not selling at the official rate, our members will not carry their products,” NAN quoted Olawale as saying.

“Depot owners are not the ones directly importing the products and are taking products from NNPC.

“Nobody has given official statements that PMS is no longer under subsidy regime and in that wise, the general public cannot be buying products at N250, N220, N180, from the depot.

“We are asking all these depot owners to stop exploiting the general public and sell at  an official rate.”