The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, is threatening to boycott the supply of petroleum products over alleged incessant tariff increment on its members by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
IPMAN President, Alhaji Debo Ahmed, gave this warning while addressing journalists after the association’s National officers meeting in Abuja on Wednesday evening.
He decried that the independent marketers were operating under a harsh business environment and warned that IPMAN can no longer continue to do business under a such environment that was put in place by allegedly by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Retail Limited.
He said NNPC retail is both a competitor and regulator, adding that such threatens the business of its members.
He further alleged that independent marketers are refused allocation of products
Ahmed said: “It is only in this country that you will have the supplier and provider. It does not happen in some other countries because NNPC Ltd Retail is a limited company like we IPMAN. When NNPC wanted to get to NNPC Limited, it was not supposed to put us under NNPC Limited because they are our competitors. When our products come to them, you hardly get it. So, what is happening? They are our competitor and at the same time our supplier. It is only in Nigeria that you can see that type of a thing.
“The government too should look into NMDPRA. We have a lot of bridging claims that are pending at NMDPRA. It is getting money from NNPC Ltd and NNPC is a limited company now.
“They have declared their profit; they have their annual returns. So we expect that the money is with NMDPRA.
“If this incessant increase in tariff that NMDPRA is very funny of continues because it is always increasing tariff, it will discourage a lot of marketers who really want to come into the business because when you increase tariff today, and tomorrow, you come back again and increase tariff.
“So, they should address it. The one they have increased, they should all marketers to discuss it because if not, when stakeholders cannot afford it, it will return to having scarcity of products.”
