The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says the majority of oil marketers have halted petrol importation into the country, citing consistent supply from the Dangote refinery.
Gatekeepers News reports that Abubakar Garima, IPMAN’s national president, made the statement on Monday in an interview with TheCable, noting that the refinery has maintained stable production even during the festive season, preventing fuel shortages nationwide.
“The fuel is available everywhere. So if the fuel is available everywhere, then what is the need of importing?” Garima said.
He added that independent petroleum marketers operate roughly 85 percent of retail outlets across Nigeria, leaving just 15 percent for other associations like the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
“We are the owners of the filling stations, so we are best positioned to determine whether petrol importation is necessary,” he said. “Sometimes some people will be very funny and say, let’s start importing. To import what? What are they going to import? That is the issue.”
Garima urged the federal government to support the Dangote refinery in scaling up production, stressing that this could attract foreign investment and encourage the establishment of additional refineries in the country. He also highlighted the importance of refineries in creating jobs amid high unemployment.
“More refineries are coming. By next year, you will see a lot of refineries,” he said.
The IPMAN president further suggested that Nigeria should aim to become a net exporter of petroleum products rather than relying on imports, noting Dangote’s ongoing export of refined products as a positive step.
On December 19, IPMAN had reaffirmed its support for local crude refining, stating that continuous importation of petrol is no longer a sustainable business model.
