The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is currently engaging the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and other players in the industry to mitigate the impact of methanol blended petrol on Nigerians.
The Director-General of the FCCPC, Mr Babatunde Irukera, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.
The statement is coming barely 24 hours after the NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari named the four companies that imported the methanol blended petrol into the country.
The four companies are MRS which made the importation through a vessel named MT Bow Pioneer, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium through vessel identified as MT Tom Hilde, Oando through a vessel named MT Elka Apollon, and Duke Oil through MT Nord Gainer vessel.
Kyari had explained that all the defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions.
He said the NNPC will work with the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.
Reacting to the development, the FCCPC Boss commended the action of the NNPC in ensuring the free flow of supply of clean petrol while the contaminated product was being withdrawn.
He said in the process of its initial investigative assessment, it discovered that consumers who purchased fuel that constitutes part of this consignment have experienced technical difficulties or damage to their vehicles or other relevant equipment/machinery.
The FCCPC Boss stated that engagement is currently being made with regulatory agencies to address the hardship or difficulties consumers may experience with respect to withdrawal of the implicated products from the market.
The statement reads in part, “The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has become aware that a certain but limited quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) that does not comply with established, applicable, and prevailing standards has been distributed and sold in certain parts of the country.
“The Commission in the process of its initial investigative assessment understands that consumers who purchased fuel that constitutes part of this consignment have experienced technical difficulties and or damage to their vehicles or other relevant equipment/machinery.
“In furtherance of its investigation; and pursuant to relevant laws, the Commission is currently engaging multiple regulators and entities relevant and involved in the PMS distribution value chain.
“The purpose of ongoing engagements include; addressing hardship or difficulties consumers may experience with respect to withdrawal of the implicated products from the market. Securing assurance and promoting consumer confidence that supply constrains are addressed and will not persist.”
Irukera explained in the statement that the FCCPC would ensure that the regulator’s recall effort under applicable laws and regulations including Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 (FCCPA) sufficiently excludes continuing distribution of the implicated product.
He added that the Commission would work with the respective agencies to encourage and promote additional and robust mechanisms to prevent reoccurrence
“The Commission’s engagement with the key and relevant regulators/entities involved has been constructive and productive.
“The Commission commends this responsiveness and prioritisation of ensuring continuity of supply, containment of implicated product and sensitivity to consumer dissatisfaction and inconvenience,” the statement added.
