By Eyo Nsima
The Federal Government has put Nigeria’s petrol pump price at N184 per litre.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timpre Sylva, disclosed this while inspecting petrol stations in Lagos Friday.
He said that an interministerial intervention initiated by the Federal Government has set out to ensure proper management of petrol distribution across the nation.
He stated: “The situation is pleasant because I observed the availability of the product in the state. Petrol is everywhere both in Lagos and Abuja. I visited many stations in Ikeja and the mainland and from every indication, there is a product everywhere. I want to assure Nigerians that the queues will disappear in a matter of days.
“The situation which we witness in Lagos has been achieved in 15 states across the country. The President has ordered that queues must be cleared immediately.
“I have already directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, to upscale its regulatory activities to ensure marketers abide by the current price regime.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, retail outlets are selling At N184 per liter and over 900 outlets operated by the company are selling at that price and that is the official price everybody is expected to sell.”
Meanwhile, the Independent marketers have commenced the lifting of petrol at an ex-depot price of N172 per litre from the Ijegun-Egba Tankfarm in Lagos.
Speaking at the commencement of lifting in Lagos, Thursday, the chairman of the association, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi, said: “We will like everyone to know that petrol which Nigerians have been suffering from in the last few months is available and is sold at the government-regulated price in all the depots in Ijegun.
“As of today, the NNPC Limited has delivered over 150 million litres to us this month. Some vessels are currently discharging at the jetty. Nigerians can trust us to serve them. Going forward, we expect that the product will be sold at the retail end of the business at affordable prices which the government has fixed for each area where Nigerians can get the product at the right pump price and in all the filling stations across the country.”
Similarly, the Regional Coordinator South West of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Engr. Lukeman Ayorinde Cardoso, said: “We are ramping up enforcement because of the new regime at every product. You can see that right now, we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Things are getting better right now.
“I can say that as of today, the inland depots have about 580 million litres, and in the marine, offshore, you have about 690 million litres as well. So, all in all, both marine and inland depots, you have about 1.3 billion litres.”
Also speaking, the depot manager of Menjoil Limited, Mr. Umar Aliyu, commended the efforts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, for stepping up supply, promised to sell the product at the N172 per litre.
Other members of the association engaged in the operation of Petroleum Storage Tankfarms and Facilities at Ijegun – Egba, including A.A. RANO Nigeria Limited, JGold Nigeria Limited, Chipet International Limited, Emadeb Energy Services Limited, First Royal Oil Nigeria Limited, MAO Petroleum Company Limited, Menj Oil Limited, Ocean Pride Energy Services Limited, Stallionaire Nigeria Limited, Wosbab Energy Solutions Limited and Rainoil Limited, also pledged commitment to delivering the product at the regulated price.
