Petrol scarcity: FG identifies supplier of adulterated fuel, vows to take action

The Federal Government through its Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says the source supplier of the contaminated Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol imported into the country has been identified.

The adulterated or contaminated fuel, which was imported into the country by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is currently being recalled from circulation.

According to petrol marketers, the adulterated fuel has a high content of methanol and ethanol, which are outside the official specification of Nigeria’s petrol.

Pulse had earlier reported how the efforts by the NNPC to recall the contaminated petrol caused fuel scarcity in Lagos and other parts of the country.

The scarcity caused confusion and anxiety as residents panicked and struggled to fill their vehicle tanks.

While many stations were shuttered as part of efforts to recall the contaminated petrol from circulation, other filling stations with quality PMS attracted long queues.

According to Punch, oil marketers have estimated that about 100 million litres of contaminated petrol were imported into the country.

Addressing the issues, the NMDPRA in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, said a limited quantity of PMS with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in the supply chain.

The agency said the contaminated product had been isolated and withdrawn from the market.

The NMDPRA also said that the NNPC had intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petrol into the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap

The statement reads in part: “To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit

“Our technical team in conjunction with the NNPC Limited and other industry stakeholders, will continue to monitor and ensure quality petroleum products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide.

“The source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the authority and the NNPC Limited. The NNPC Limited and all oil marketing companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.”

Though the contaminated fuel has been withdrawn from circulation, it’s been reported that the queues at petrol stations might drag till the weekend, due to the impact of the recalled products on supply chains.