The pump price of petrol, may be reduced in filling stations operated by independent marketers this week, following the massive imports of PMS by the NNPCL, oil dealers stated.
It was gathered that the recent hike in petrol prices at retail outlets operated by independent marketers was due to the short supply of the commodity, which led to acts of profiteering by both depot owners and filling stations.
But operators in the downstream oil sector confirmed that several cargoes imported by NNPCL had arrived in Nigeria, as some of them were currently discharging at the ports.
“Once the products start hitting filling stations, fuel price will reduce, because the recent high cost was due to supply drop,” the National Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Ukadike Chinedu.
“The most important thing now is that cargoes carrying PMS ordered by NNPCL have arrived, some of them have berthed and they are discharging. So the partial scarcity we are experiencing now will be gone,” Ukadike said.
He noted that the inflow of foreign exchange during the Yuletide would not necessarily impact petrol prices, rather the increased imports by NNPCL should warrant a reduction in price.
He said the large PMS imports were confirmed to marketers by NNPCL.
On whether marketers had started receiving the products, Ukadike replied, “By Monday we will start receiving from Port Harcourt and Warri, based on my last discussion with the NNPC management.”
Another major marketer also confirmed the position of IPMAN, as he stated that “when you wet the market with products, there’ll be no room for profiteering.”
