Consumer Safety: Nigerian regulator seals off 4 filling stations over adulterated petrol, price hike

*The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency has sealed off four filling stations in Anambra State over delivery of suspected harmful petrol said to be part of ‘methanol-blended’ petroleum product at the retail outlets

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Authority, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), has suspended operations of four filling stations in Anambra State, South-East Nigeria, over suspected delivery of bad Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, at the product retail outlets.

ConsumerConnect learnt Mr. Victor Orjiakor, Operations Controller of NMDPRA in Anambra State, disclosed this development Wednesday, February 23, 2022, in Awka, Anambra State capital.

The price of petrol has increased from initial N162 and N165 per litre to between N190 and N200 per litre in Awka, and some parts of the state in recent times, report said.

The NMDPRA Operations Controller stated the proactive surveillance checks suggested that the products delivered to the affected filling stations might have been lifted from the depots that received the ‘methanol-blended’ PMS consignment which certain fuel importers brought into the country recently.

Orjiakor also noted that samples of the product had been collected from the outlets for laboratory testing.

However, in the meantime, the NMDPRA chief said that the petrol stations would not be allowed to sell the suspected unwholesome product to consumers.

The downstream sector in Anambra, he stated, is healthy, and there is no bad product in circulation there.

“We track every truck coming into the state, we don’t have any NNPC depot facilities in Anambra; we crosscheck every product coming in through Enugu and Aba depots and with that we were able to discover four stations that received suspected adulterated PMS,” said Orjiakor.

NMDPRA declares no ‘artificial increase’ in petrol price

Meanwhile, the Nigerian petroleum sector regulator has condemned the artificial increase in the price of PMS.

Orjiakor further said teams of the NMDPRA were on round-the-clock surveillance across Anambra State in order to ensure that marketers continue to sell petrol at the industry approved officla range of between N162 and N165 per litre.

According to him, there is no official increase in the prices of petroleum products at the depots, and that marketers who have flouted the price regulation and compromised their pumps would be made to face the law.

The NMDPRA Operations Controller, however, noted that product supply in Anambra State was satisfactory in spite of the prevailing inadequacies in general supply.

The regulatory agency is working to ensure that there is no scarcity, stated he.

Orjiakor restated that the NMDPRA is the only agency established by the law to regulate the petroleum industry, and warned any group, including security agencies to stop going to filling stations to harass marketers in the name of enforcement.

“We are the only regulator in Nigeria, and we are doing it diligently, round the clock, no other organisation is authorised by law to regulate anything.

“Anybody doing so is on illegal duty and is not acceptable to us and can never be.

“Part of our strategy is that we enlighten marketers that we are the only organisation that regulate their activities and also tell them to stand up and tell these people that they don’t have the right, when they come to their outlets,” he said.

Orjiakor added: “However, in the course of activities we may have to call for their services but we must lead the team, nobody should threaten marketers.

“We are managing price control and product availability pending when the current supply gap is bridged and we are doing that with a blend of advocacy and enforcement.”

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