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Fuel marketers insist on increase in fuel price as FG rejects demand

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petrol

Petroleum product marketers have demanded an upward review in the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (also known as petrol).

This, they said, would make importation of the product profitable.

They said the free fall of the naira against the dollar had made it unprofitable for them to import petrol and sell at the current rate of N145 per litre.

But the Federal Government said there was no immediate plan to raise the pricce of petrol.

This is coming nearly four months after the government increased petrol prices from N86 and N86.5 per litre to between N135 and N145 per litre.

Some marketers had early last month said Nigerians should prepare for another increase in petrol prices due to the continued scarcity of foreign exchange to finance the importation of the product.

According to a source close to the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, N165 is the pump price that will cover the cost of forex required for fuel importation.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency had, in its template based on 30 days’ moving average Platts posted price for April 23 – May 23, 2016, put the landing cost and total cost of petrol at N122.03 and N140.40 per litre, respectively.

The costs of the product and freight, which are the elements mostly affected by the exchange rate, were put at $534 per metric tonne of petrol or N111.30 per litre, using an exchange rate of N280/dollar.

Using an exchange rate of N314.20/dollar at the interbank market on Monday, according to FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, the cost of product plus freight was N125.12 and the total cost of petrol stood at N151.93 per litre.

With an exchange rate of N350/dollar, the cost of the product plus freight stood at N139.37; while the total cost amounted to N167.15 per litre.

The naira plunged to all-time low of 420/dollar on the black market last month.

An official of one of the marketers’ associations, who spoke on condition of anonymity to one of our correspondents, said, “Let the government do the needful. We have already said it before that the price is not sustainable. When they fixed that price, dollar was N280 – N285; now the dollar is almost N400 and they want us to bring in products and sell at N145. It is not possible.

“But right now, most of us are getting the product from the NNPC; that is why you still see that there is product everywhere. It is an indirect case of subsidy. It means the government is subsidising it through the NNPC and we are buying at local price. Had it been that we were the ones that sourced the foreign exchange, we can’t sell it at N145.”

The Head of Energy Research, Ecobank Capital, Mr. Dolapo Oni, noted that the current template was adopted when the dollar was about N315 in the parallel market and the naira had not been floated then.

He said then the CBN was still selling at about N220 or so and marketers were augmenting what they got from the CBN with the parallel market supply, adding, “Thus, a range of N275 to N295 was used to arrive at the template price range of N135 to N145.

“The official market is N310 this (Monday) morning while the parallel market is N422. This gives a range of between N151 and N200. I think they’ll probably adopt a range of N330 to N370 (per dollar) so we have a fuel price range of N160 to N170.

Oni added, “The best solution, in my view, however, will be to take the last plunge and just remove cap on prices. It is probably the best in this market. Let competition regulate prices.”

Another source, who is an official of one of the marketing companies in Lagos, said, “The position of the marketers is that if the guaranteed exchange rate of N285 to a dollar will not be met, selling at that N145 is not profitable. And that is the more reason most of the chief executives or finance directors are still going cap in hand to the NNPC to facilitate the forex they promised through international oil companies instead of going to the black market.

“With the current situation in the country, I don’t see the government increasing the pump price of petrol, although it is not profitable to marketers. It would have been very easy if forex is available to marketers at N285/dollar.”

On marketers’ reliance on the NNPC for petrol, the source said, “The advantage in depending on the NNPC product is that the price they give you is better and you are not subjected to any issue of forex. And it is not as difficult as before when you had to queue for a long time because the NNPC has the product.”

Officials from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the PPPRA stated that it was difficult for marketers to buy forex at over N350/dollar and still sell the PMS at N145 per litre.

“There must be some form of subsidy somewhere, either from where they are getting the product or from the major importer of the PMS into Nigeria, because you cannot buy a dollar at N350 and still sell petrol at N145 if you want to remain in business,” a PPPRA official, who spoke to one of our correspondents in confidence, said.

But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said there was no immediate plan to increase the pump price of petrol.

Some former NNPC GMDs had last week said that due to the dollar scarcity and the falling naira, it would be unrealistic to expect the petrol price to remain the same.

However, Kachikwu and Baru, who met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, said there would be no increase in the price of petrol.

Baru, when approached by reporters, declined to speak at length, referring journalists to the PPPRA.

Asked if there would be a review of the price, he said, “There is nothing like that.”

When Kachikwu was approached for comment, he revealed that there was no memo before the Federal Government asking for a review of the price.

Ex-NNPC GMDs had made the suggestion of fuel hike at a one-day meeting called by Baru, where they argued that the ýcurrent price cap of N145 per litre is not in line with the liberalisation policy especially with the foreign exchange rate and other price determining components such as crude cost, Nigerian Ports Authority charges, among others, remaining uncapped.

In a related development, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, on Monday asked Nigerians to hold former GMDs of the NNPC responsible for the non-functional state of the country’s refineries and the non-profitability of the NNPC.

Sabi, who stated that he was not making his submission as the spokesman for the Senate but as the Senator representing Niger-North Senatorial District, in a chat with journalists in his office, said he was very disappointed with the recent comments credited to the ex-GMDs on fuel price.

He said, “As we have all known, refineries that we have in Nigeria have not been functional because if they had been functional and if that institution had been up and doing in tandem with its peers in other countries that have similar resources, for crying out loud, all of these former GMDs, can they be said to be free of blame on how we got here? Can they?

The Senator lamented that the refineries had failed to perform maximally under the military rule and the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party’s administration.

Abdullahi said, “I think on this note, let me make it very clear that all of them that are speaking, they do not have the moral standpoint to even advise us on what to do because they had a hand in it (the problem) and I cannot see how you can solve a problem under the same condition that created it.”

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Petrol: MRS Slashes Petrol Price to N935/Litre Nationwide, Enforces compliance

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General Buratai Urges Dangote Not To Succumb To Marketers Blackmail, Reveals Why

Petrol: MRS Slashes Petrol Price to N935/Litre Nationwide, Enforces compliance

… Nigerians praise Dangote-MRS partnership

 

MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, a prominent player in the Nigerian downstream oil industry, has implemented a new petrol price of N935 per litre across all its retail service stations nationwide. This follows an announcement by the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has partnered with MRS Oil and Gas to offer petrol at N935 per litre at retail outlets, following a reduction in the ex-depot price from N970 to N899.50 per litre.

In response, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc has instructed all its outlets to implement the new price immediately, setting up a digital platform and monitoring team to ensure full compliance. The company has also called on Nigerians to report any outlets that fail to adhere to the new price structure.

“Petrol is now being sold at N935 at MRS Filling Stations nationwide. If you find any station not following this price, please report it. Call 08009447853 or email: [email protected],” the company stated in a release.

Emphasising the eco-friendly nature of its products, MRS Oil added, *“We call on all petrol station owners to join MRS Oil Nigeria Plc in improving the supply chain of our beloved country, ensuring product quality and availability in every corner of Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians.”*

Checks by our correspondents yesterday confirmed that the new price had been implemented at all MRS Oil and Gas retail outlets nationwide.

In Lagos, commuters were seen queuing at MRS filling stations to purchase petrol. Many expressed their gratitude to Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil and Gas, urging other marketers to support the indigenous refinery rather than import off-spec products into the country.

Mrs. Ibukun Phillips, a commuter at the MRS station at Alapere on the Lagos Ibadan Express way, could not hide her joy as her husband filled up their car.

“I am very happy today. This is a victory for Nigeria,” she said. “The price reduction is the best gift of the season. But beyond just the reduction, we are buying standard, eco-friendly petrol at a lower rate. My husband and I have decided we will only be using MRS from now on because we are confident in the quality of the product and supporting the economy.”

Commercial bus driver Adio Ajibade described the price reduction as a great relief, especially during the festive season.

“The reduction is a great relief. It will reduce transportation costs and benefit Nigerians. God will continue to bless Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” he said.

A public affairs analyst and university lecturer, Dr. Tunde Akanni, said the collaboration between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil represents a significant step towards improving the affordability, quality, and sustainability of petroleum products in Nigeria.

According to Dr. Akanni, “this move will not only help ease the financial burden on Nigerians but also promote a more environmentally conscious approach to fuel consumption, benefitting both the economy and public health in the long term.”

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FIRS ANNOUNCES AN ONGOING RECRUITMENT

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FIRS ANNOUNCES AN ONGOING RECRUITMENT.

 

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has rolled out an exciting opportunity for experienced professionals to join its team.

In a public notice via its X handle, the agency announced job openings for positions like Assistant Manager, Deputy Manager, and Assistant Director in fields such as Tax, Public Relations, Legal, ICT, and Risk Management.

Interested candidates are encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and apply via the official portal at careers.firs.gov.ng before January 11, 2025. This recruitment drive is aimed at bolstering public service efforts and maximizing national development.

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UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

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UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

The newly renovated departure section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, refurbished by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, was officially commissioned on Friday, December 20th, 2024.

The laudable project, which marks a transformative moment in Nigeria’s aviation sector, underscores UBA’s unwavering commitment to national development and highlights the immense value of strategic public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The ceremony was graced by distinguished stakeholders, including the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; other Directors, and Heads of Agencies operating at the Airport.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba,lauded the collaboration that brought the project to fruition as he emphasised the need for public and private institutions to come together to build and revamp the nation’s assets.

“This renovation is a testament of UBA’s belief in the transformative power of investing in national assets. By modernising our airports, we not only enhance infrastructure but also position Nigeria as a global hub for tourism, trade, and investment,” he stated.

Alawuba took time to highlight the broader economic impact of such initiatives, urging increased private-sector participation in national development. “Public-private partnerships like this demonstrate what can be achieved when we unite for a shared vision of progress and investing in infrastructure catalyses economic growth, improves travel experiences, and creates opportunities across various sectors of the economy,” he added.

Alawuba reflected on the power of unity and collaboration, quoting Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The commissioning of the renovated departure section serves as a reminder of what strategic partnerships can achieve in driving national development and elevating Nigeria’s global standing.”

While commissioning the project, Keyamo commended UBA for executing the project, a feat he termed a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s aviation sector. “This renovated departure section exemplifies the bank’s commitment to elevating aviation infrastructure, improving passenger experiences, and fostering international partnerships. It is a proud moment for the ministry and all stakeholders involved, and I thank the management of UBA for pioneering this initiative,” he remarked.

The minister highlighted other key achievements of his ministry, including compliance with the Cape Town Convention, the launch of a consumer protection portal, and advancements in major infrastructure projects such as the second runway at Abuja Airport and solar energy integration in airport operations.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, commended UBA and other stakeholders for their contributions, adding, “This project reflects FAAN’s dedication to delivering world-class aviation infrastructure. The enhanced departure section not only elevates passenger experiences but also strengthens Nigeria’s competitive position in global aviation,” she said.

She called for more private-sector participation, emphasising that “partnerships like these are essential to transforming the aviation sector into a beacon of excellence.”

The newly renovated departure section boasts cutting-edge facilities designed to enhance efficiency and passenger comfort. This upgrade reaffirms the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s status as a critical gateway to Nigeria and a major hub for international travel in Africa.

United Bank for Africa is Africa’s Global Bank. Operating across twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.

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