IPMAN promises to make petrol available, affordable in 2 weeks

The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has promised Nigerians that the ongoing fuel scarcity and the attendant price hike will fizzle away in two weeks' time.

This assurance was given by Mike Osatuyi, IPMAN's National Operations Controller, while appearing on Arise Television's Morning Show on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

Osatuyi also stated that marketers are putting efforts together to ensure that the perennial fuel scarcity across the country isn't only brought to an end but that fuel is also sold at affordable prices.

He further stated that all the stakeholders agreed to sell fuel at affordable prices to ease the burden on Nigerians.

In a bid to ensure the lingering fuel scarcity is brought to an end soon, a meeting was held between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and all other stakeholders across the downstream petroleum value chain on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, the Controller added.

Osatuyi's words: “Yesterday, there was a meeting in Abuja and the president of IPMAN was there and he gave me feedback on the meeting. So, I can say the NNPC is ready to find a solution to the crisis. They’ve now agreed that they will open more depots for IPMAN to be loading products through their platform at official price and this is what we have been clamouring for for years.

“From what I gathered now, they are given 14 days to clean up the mess. By the next two weeks, we should be able to buy at a very reasonable price. We must all work in the interest of Nigerians and let Nigerians benefit from this subsidy.”

Recall that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPR) had earlier blamed smuggling as the major cause of the crisis, a position Osatuyi also aligned with.

He, however, said all hands must be on deck to buck the trend while also calling on the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers to caution its members against diverting fuel trucks to neighbouring countries.

Osatuyi's words: “When it comes to all the challenges causing the fuel crisis, you can’t rule out the bad eggs across all strata of the system. But at the same time, it takes everyone to say drop this nonsense and let us be born again.”