Business

Kerosene Scarcity: IPMAN Wants Direct Supply From NNPC

Published

15 years ago

July 4, 2011

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure that kerosene is distributed through its members.

Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, the Chairman of IPMAN’s Products Allocation Committee, made the call shortly after an inaugural meeting of the committee in Lagos.

Okoronkwo said the meting was to ensure that NNPC’s kerosene allocations to IPMAN were given to genuine members to ensure effective distribution and availability.

“NNPC should allocate IPMAN products strictly to its members to avoid diversion by un-recognised marketers.

“The only time we can checkmate mischievous marketers is when all follow due process,’’ he said.

The chairman said that IPMAN was ready to partner with NNPC in addressing the scarcity of petroleum products.

The Secretary of the committee, Mr Olumide Ogunmade, expressed the hope that the committee would ensure equitable distribution of products to IPMAN members.

“We are not fighting the NNPC but want to set records straight so that our valued members who have invested their money in products will get them.

“If we are given 76 per cent allocation for our members, what we are witnessing today on kerosene won’t have occurred because we are widely spread in term of retail outlets and number,’’ he said.

Ogunmade said the committee desired that all petroleum products allocation by the NNPPC/PPMC should go to genuine marketers for effective distribution and monitoring.

Our correspondent reports that IPMAN on Wednesday set up a 22-man committee to oversee the union’s allocation of products from the NNPC.

The committee was mandated to recommend solutions to the lingering scarcity of kerosene.

Meanwhile, some major and independent marketers have alleged that the NNPC, and Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) are under-supplying them kerosene.

Some of the marketers, who spoke with newsmen yesterday in Lagos on condition of anonymity, said the situation had resulted in the artificial scarcity and hike in the price of the commodity.

“The inability of NNPC and PPMC to flood the market with the commodity caused the scarcity, and hike in the price of the commodity,’’ one of them said.

The source said that less than five million litres of kerosene were being distributed to the marketers daily, as against 12 million litres the NNPC claimed were being supplied.

The marketers alleged that 30 of them were being allocated a truck of 33,000 litres daily.

They, however, suggested that they should be given licence to import the commodity as part of efforts to address the lingering scarcity of kerosene.

“We urge the government to put in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure that the product is available throughout the country.

“Importation of kerosene by NNPC alone cannot solve the problem of scarcity; government should give licence to independent marketers to fast-track the importation of the commodity to ease scarcity,’’ a marketer said.

A source in the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), who preferred anonymity, also advised the NNPC to flood the market with the commodity, and publish daily and monthly allocations to the marketers.

The source said NNPC should increase supply of kerosene to the marketers and other depot owners to ease scarcity as well as reduce the price of the commodity.

Dr Levi Ajunoma, Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of NNPC, said about 50,000 metric tonnes of kerosene had been allocated to major and independent marketers, as well as depot owners within the last one month.

Our correspondent, however, reports that in spite of this, kerosene still sells at between N120 to N135 per litre in some filling stations.

In spite of announcements by the NNPC that it had distributed sufficient kerosene to oil marketers nationwide, the product has remained scarce and expensive in Asaba.

Our correspondent reports that between June 27 and yesterday, not more than five out of more than 40 petrol filling stations in Asaba had the product for sale to the public.

An investigation showed that the stations that sold the product were only those owned by independent oil marketers.

Not even NNPC Mega station or its grade B type, both in Asaba, had the product for sale.

For instance, out of the more than 15 filing stations on Onitsha high way, only two, King’s Petroleum and Emmy and Sons Oil Ltd, sold the product during the week at exorbitant rates.

Anioma Petroleum and Odims Global Resources Ltd., both oil dealers located on Anwai Road, sold the products too.

No major oil marketer in the city sold kerosene during the period in spite of allegation by Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in the state that greater percentage of kerosene allocation went to them (major marketers).

According to IPMAN Chairman in the state, Chief Akpos Edafevwotu, NNPC allocates about 70 per cent of kerosene to its mega station in Asaba and the smaller ones around the cities.

He said the corporation also gave greater share of the remaining 30 per cent to major marketers, leaving little for his association’s members.

Edafevwotu, however, said that kerosene allocation to IPMAN by NNPC during the period of scarcity was raised to 16 trucks daily as against seven previously but noted that the supply was still inadequate.

The situation in Asaba has again boosted black market operation in the sale of the product.

A litre of the product at such market costs between N200 and N240.

One of the operators who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that the price of a litre at the “illegal” spots depended on the sources of the stock.

Automated Gas Oil (AGO), known as diesel, has also remained scarce in the Delta capital for a long time and has led to high price of the product.

Currently, a litre sells for between N155 and N165 at filling stations.

In a related development, the NNPC (Retail Products Section) is collaborating with the Capital Oil and Gas in a nationwide kerosene distribution in tankers.

The aim is to ease scarcity.

Our correspondent reports that the pilot scheme began on Saturday in Lagos with 200 tankers loaded with the product.

The vehicles are to be taken to all the nooks and crannies of Lagos State for kerosene sales to residents.

Mr Ifeanyi Ubah, the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil and Gas, said at the unveiling of the pilot scheme that the idea was to boost NNPC’s efforts to end kerosene scarcity.

Ubah said the distribution would eliminate long queues at NNPC fuel stations.

“Tankers will be stationed at some locations in the city and rural areas to sell to individuals who want to buy kerosene; the best method to address panic buying of kerosene.

“The product will be handled and sold to Nigerians by sub-dealers who must have paid for them through the banks to avoid sharp practices,’’ he said.

Ubah said the method would go a long way in addressing kerosene scarcity.

He said that the schemes would be conducted in Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Dr Levi Ajuonuma, the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division in NNPC, said the corporation on Thursday allocated 25,000 metric tonnes of kerosene to major and independent marketers to ease the scarcity.

“Distribution bottlenecks have been our major challenge but we have finally addressed that, and we believe all marketers will ensure the circulation of the product across the country,’’ he said.

Ajuonuma also said that the truck distribution would effectively address the lingering scarcity.

“We implore both regulatory bodies and the media to assist in monitoring the distribution of the product at the official pump price of N50 per litre,’’ he said.

Mr Victor Enilama, the Operations Officer at the Department of Petroleum Resources, urged the NNPC to publish all kerosene allocations to marketers to guide the department in monitoring their sale.

Enilama said the DPR would not seal a fuel station or prosecute its owner when there was no product in the station.

“Kerosene is under-supplied; the NNPC should beef up supply to marketers and depot owners to ensure adequate distribution and sales at the normal pump price,’’ he said.

He urged the corporation to ensure sustainability of the kerosene distribution, warning that if not properly monitored, it would be mismanaged and abused.

Our correspondent reports that kerosene is still sold for between N120 and N135 per litre in some filling stations in Lagos State.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

4 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

4 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.