As the negative impacts of the current fuel scarcity on the nation’s economy continue to elicit stakeholders’ serious concern,
the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) late Tuesday stated that it had intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petrol into the market nationwide,
The agency stated that the measure became imperative in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap following the discovery of petrol with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification.
This is eve as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) also promised to work with the NMDPRA to take commercial and appropriate actions against the sub-standard petrol supplier.
The NMDPRA, in a statement, confirmed that the source supplier had been identified and appropriate actions would be taken by the Authority and NNPC Ltd against the supplier.
The agency stated that Methanol, a regular additive in petrol and usually blended in an acceptable quantity, was discovered in the supply chain.
According to the downstream regulatory, to ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit. It clarified:
“The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (The Authority) wishes to inform the general public that limited quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as Petrol, with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in the supply chain.
“To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit.
“Our technical team in conjunction with NNPC Ltd and other industry stakeholders will continue to monitor and ensure quality petroleum products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide.
“The source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the Authority and NNPC Ltd”, it maintained.
The agency further hinted that NNPC Ltd and all Oil Marketing Companies had been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.