Filling stations are still engaging in the fraudulent practices of short-changing consumers despite Department of Petroleum Resources’ reported efforts at curbing them.

In view of the endless complaints by motorists and other consumers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called fuel, about the sharp practices perpetrated by most filling stations in Nigeria, I visited 12 filling stations to ascertain the veracity of some of these complaints. I randomly chose six filling stations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and six in Lagos State. In each of the filling stations I visited, I bought fuel like every other Nigerian, but I kept my eyes wide open unlike many.

To achieve a high level of accuracy, my investigation in each state was conducted on the same day using a newly-purchased plastic can. All the filling stations I visited, both in Lagos and in Rivers State, dispensed fuel at the official pump price of N145 per litre, except NNPC which sold at N143 per litre.

Port Harcourt, April 16, 2018

On Monday, April 16, 2018, I arrived at Rainoil Filling Station on Station Road, Port Harcourt, at about 9am with a brand new 4-litre plastic can. I told the attendant, who gave her name as Jennifer, to fill up the can. I kept my eyes glued to the metre and by the time the can filled up, it read 4.15 litres instead of 4 litres. In other words, to fill a 20-litre plastic can in this filling station would require the consumer paying for 20.75 litres instead. Similarly, a consumer who pays for 20 litres of fuel here goes home with 19.25 litres of the product.

Leaving Rainoil Filling Station, I quickly emptied the can of fuel and in a few minutes, I was at Karibi Joy Intl Ltd, located opposite Salvation Ministries Church, on Iwofe Road.

A middle-aged female attendant who told me her name was Obele got up immediately she saw me with a can and excused herself to switch on the generating set. When she reappeared, I told her to fill up the can. She did and hung up the nozzle. When I looked at the metre, it read 4.35 litres and the price was N630.75. I told her 4.15 litres costing N600 had filled the same can only a moment before.

“I don’t understand,” the attendant said as she sat down.

We argued back and forth, until the manager sauntered in and asked what the problem was. I explained.

“You can only complain if the difference is up to 0.5 litres, but the 0.2 litres is nothing. There is no argument in zero point something,” the manager told me.

“If it’s up to 1 litre or 0.5 litres, you can argue. Turn the fuel in that can into another container and go back to that first filling station, you might not get exactly that 4.15 litres,” he said.

When I told him I’d do as he advised, he got irritated.

“You can be doing that, measuring fuel from one filling station to the other, if you like to do that. You can be checking like that,” he said and walked away. I paid and left as a vehicle drove in.

From my calculation, a consumer who paid for 20 litres of fuel at this filling station would go home with 18.25 litres as 21.75 litres of fuel, and not 20 litres, would fill a 20-litre can.

At Anele Filling Station, which is a few minutes’ drive from Karibi Joy Filling Station, I met a young lady who told me they had fuel but could not dispense because there was no power supply. Anele is located beside Clen-phil Hotels and Suites and opposite Adah Shopping Mall.

From there, I went to Soltech Energy Services Limited on Ada George Road, just opposite Cosy Plaza. Here, 4.16 litres of fuel filled the 4-litre can at the total price of N603.20. This means that the quantity of fuel that would fill a 20-litre can at this filling station is 20.8 litres. If a consumer purchased 20 litres of fuel here, that consumer would go home with 19.2 litres.

My next stop was Chinda Petroleum Ltd on Ikwerre Road. At the far left end of the filling station is Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, while adjacent to it is the Nigerian Police Divisional Headquarters building. Here, I paid N623.50 for 4.30 litres of fuel to fill the 4-litre can. The implication is that a 20-litre can would require 21.5 litres of fuel to fill up at this filling station. If a consumer paid for 20 litres of fuel here, what would be dispensed would be 18.5 litres.

http://www.businessdayonline.com/investigation-filling-stations-short-change-consumers/

My observation, you ask them to fill up the can?
Mind you that 4 littre liquid cannot fil upl a 4litres can, nether can 20 litres liquid fill up a 20 littres can as the can manufacturers always give extra space for safety handling.

Check the vegetable oil of all sizes, they never filled up the can.

Each fill up would likely expand the plastic gallon. That would have an unreliable effect on the results.
Try using a metal gallon.

hisgrace090:
My observation, you ask them to fill up the can?
Mind you that 4 littre liquid cannot fil upl a 4litres can, nether can 20 litres liquid fill up a 20 littres can as the can manufacturers always give extra space for safety handling.

Check the vegetable oil of all sizes, they never filled up the can.

OP read this again and again, till it sinks in.

I don't need to explain any further, but if its still not clear to you, you can ask.

@higrace090...Its quite obvious but the whole idea is to find out the quantity of fuel that would fill up the gallon from different filling stations visited.


@Chuks9000...Not if the investigation was carried out on the same day. If you read the story, you will find out that the can was not affected by environmental factors. Ask an expert too