Given the high demand by millions of Nigerians for PMS, and the trouble associated with getting the product, it has become necessary for NNPCL to allow independent marketers to lift the product from the Dangote refinery.”
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government (FG) to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to allow independent petroleum marketers in the country to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Dangote Refinery.
This is just as it asked Dangote Refinery and NNPCL to disclose the real price PMS is sold at the refinery.
It also urged Dangote Refinery to build, acquire, or partner to get Tank Farms or depots across the geo-political zones in the country, to ease the accessibility of petroleum products to Nigerians.
The decision was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the member representing Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State, Oboku Oforji, during plenary on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
Speaking on the motion, Oforji noted thay Dangote Refinery began operation in its 650, barrels per day (BPD) integrated refinery on September 15, 2024 with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) as the sole off-taker and Major Marketers given access to lift the product by the NNPCL recently.
The lawmaker lauded the development, saying means that Nigeria is driving towards energy self-sufficiency, cost, and foreign exchange savings, while meeting the increasing demand for fuels, attraction of foreign capital investment, and generation of Forex through the export of finished product, conservation of foreign exchange and huge value addition that will contribute to increasing in Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
However, he continued, given the high demand by millions of Nigerians for PMS, and the trouble associated with getting the product, it has become necessary for NNPCL to allow independent marketers to lift the product from the Dangote refinery.
By doing this, he added, there will be competition and availability of the product, leading to a reduction in the price of PMS. He also expressed concern that grantong NNPCL and the Major Marketers rights of exclusive off-takers will grow monopoly and greed which will not grow the economy.