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A recent investigation has revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and independent marketers have been importing substandard and off-specification Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly referred to as petrol, into Nigeria.
Despite repeated assurances from the NNPCL, this “dirty petrol” now accounts for up to a quarter of the nation’s daily fuel consumption.
According to a Motor Tanker Vessels report dated September 13, 2024, the combined fuel imports into Nigeria through various ports, including Apapa, Tincan, Lekki, Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Warri, stood at 261,938 metric tonnes.
The report alleged that NNPCL received 134,938 metric tonnes of this quantity while independent marketers imported 127,000 metric tonnes.
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These deliveries, which have been causing damage to vehicles, originated from sources that were previously flagged for delivering off-specification fuel.
An industry source familiar with the situation expressed concerns about the quality of fuel being imported, stating, “They have brought into the country the same kind of fuel that was condemned as dirty petrol, but they know people are forced to buy this because the queues and shortage are forcing people to be desperate.”
As fuel queues persist across the nation, Nigerians are left with no choice but to purchase the substandard product, despite its known detrimental effects on vehicles.