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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Wednesday, September 18, said it was not aware of any other importer of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol aside from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

The Authority said to the best of its knowledge, the national oil company remains the sole importer of the product.

The clarification came on the heels of a media publication that three marketers have imported petrol owing to the prevailing price of the product from NNPCL.

Asked to confirm the news, NMDPRA, Head of Public Affairs, George Ita-Ene, said: “You know NNPCL is the sole importer of the product?”

He added: “I am not aware of that (three marketers importing petrol to Nigeria). I don’t think it is factual.”

Speaking with The Nation, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, said his members were yet to take any decision concerning the petrol market because NNPCL has not informed them of price adjustments.

He also said NNPCL has not changed the prices at which it offered marketers petrol since Dangote began the production of petrol.
According to him, the supply of petrol to marketers has been on the increase daily this week.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with the energy policies of President Bola Tinubu, stressing it would result in a reduction in the demand for the dollar and strengthen the value of the Naira.

“There is no change in pump price from NNPCL. So, we are yet to decide anything about importation. We want to see how Dangote will go because he promised to partner with us.

“The supply of petrol is increasing on a daily basis. We Nigerians should be patient with Tinubu on his energy policy because it will reduce the demand for dollars and increase the value of Naira,” said the IPMAN boss.

The Nation observed yesterday there were still queues in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for petrol, especially in relatively cheaper retail outlets such as NNPCL, Total, and Conoil.

NNPCL has left its pump price unchanged at N897 per litre while others sell as high as N926, N950, N955, and N990 per litre.

Black marketers who sold in plastic containers vended 10 litres for N12,000 to N140,000.