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The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to mandate the NNPC Limited and Dangote Refinery to allow independent marketers to lift petrol directly from the refinery.
The lower chamber also urged the management of Dangote Refinery to build, acquire, or partner to establish tank farms or depots across the geo-political zones of the country, to ease access to petroleum products for the public.
This call followed a motion of urgent public importance moved on Thursday by Oboku Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa).
Lifting of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery commenced on 15 September.
The government stated that petrol from Dangote Refinery will initially be sold only to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which will then sell to various marketers in the short term.
Although major petroleum marketers have reportedly been given approval to lift the product from the refinery under an agreement with NNPCL, independent marketers remain excluded.
The Motion
Moving the motion, Mr Oforji explained that the exclusion of independent marketers threatens competition in the sector.
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He noted that competition is essential for reducing costs, adding that some marketers may resort to importing products to survive in the market.
“NNPCL and the major marketers being the exclusive off-takers spells monopoly, which is tantamount to greed. This is the same NNPCL that has failed to manage our crude and refineries for decades,” the lawmaker said.
He added: “In view of the high demand by millions of Nigerians for PMS, and the ordeal they go through to obtain it, NNPCL should allow independent marketers to lift the product from the Dangote refinery.
“Allowing NNPCL and major marketers to lift PMS from the refinery, to the exclusion of independent marketers, is not acceptable.”
The motion was adopted without debate, and it was unanimously passed when Speaker Abbas Tajudeen put it to a vote.
Consequently, the House mandated its Committees on Petroleum Resources (Midstream and Downstream) to ensure compliance.
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