NNPC names importers of ‘adulterated fuel’

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has revealed the identities of companies that allegedly imported adulterated fuel into the country. 

The NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, explained that the company’s investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in four PMS cargoes imported by the following Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase (DSDP) suppliers as listed in the table below.

Importer    Vessel Name              Load Port

1 MRS — MT Bow Pioneer — LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium

2 Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium —- MT Tom Hilde —- LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium

3 Oando — MT Elka Apollon — LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium

4 Duke Oil —– MT Nord Gainer —-LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium

He noted that cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicated that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.

Kyari added that as a standard practice for all PMS imports to Nigeria, the said cargoes were equally certified by an inspection agent appointed by the NMDRA.

The NNPC boss reassured Nigerians of its capacity to restore sanity in the supply and distribution of petrol within a short period.

He stated this at the end of a meeting with oil marketers to resolve issues generated by the recent supply and discharge of methanol-blended petrol in some depots.

Kyari said suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC is working with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDRA) to take necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.

On Wednesday, MRS Oil had accused NNPC of importing the adulterated product through its subsidiary, Duke Oil.

“Due to the current subsidy regime, NNPC is the sole importer of all PMS in Nigeria. Consequently, NNPC, through their trading arm Duke Oil, supplied a cargo of PMS purchased from international trader Litasco and delivered it with the Motor Tanker (MT), Nord Gainer,” MRS said in the statement.

But the NNPC CEO said that on January 22, the company received a report from its quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.

However, in order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, the NNPC CEO said the company promptly ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine).