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The rise in the cost of crude oil, coupled with the depreciation of the naira against the United States dollar, might lead to a hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, oil marketers stated on Sunday.

It was also gathered that the sharp rise in crude oil price to about $94/barrel and the crisis around forex, had warranted a gradual increase in the amount being quietly spent as subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government.

Dealers in the downstream oil sector explained that the cost of crude oil and the exchange rate of the dollar accounted for over 80 per cent of the cost of PMS.

Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, rose to $94/barrel on Sunday, the highest figure in 2023. Oil had started the year at about $82/barrel, dipped to $70/barrel in June, but traded above $92/barrel in the past week.

Also, The PUNCH reported on Thursday that the naira weakened to N950/dollar as forex scarcity worsened.

The report stated that the naira fell further against the dollar the preceding day (Wednesday), after closing at 950/$ at the parallel market.

Bureau de Change operators had told The PUNCH that the naira, which earlier closed at 930/$ at the close of operations on Tuesday, was bought and sold at 935/$ and 950/$ on Wednesday.

Although the Federal Government and its Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited had insisted that subsidy on petrol had ended, following the deregulation of the downstream oil sector, operators insisted on Sunday that the government was implementing quasi-subsidy.

They explained that with the latest rise in crude oil price, the cost of petrol was meant to increase, stressing that if the government insists on leaving the commodity at N617/litre, then subsidy on PMS had been returned quietly.

The marketers explained that in July when the cost of petrol was raised to N617/litre, crude oil traded around $82/barrel, while the the exchange rate was not as high as N950/$ at the parallel market.

The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners corroborated the concerns of marketers, as it stated that the price cap on petrol had made it tough for marketers to comply with the demands of NARTO with respect to increasing the cost of transportation for petrol.

“The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, in one of his statements, had pointed out that as long as the dollar continues to rise, Nigerians should not expect petroleum products prices to be pegged. The cost of crude oil is also on the rise and it impacts on petrol price, because PMS is derived from crude.

“So in this price deregulation regime, once the dollar increases, automatically it means that the cost of importing petroleum products will also increase. And the cost of every other related service will rise,” the National Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, stated.

He added, “So the fuel we are buying today at N617 or N596 depending on where you buy it and based on the nearness to depots, is actually below what the price should really be, going by the rise in dollar and crude oil price.”

Ukadike stated that though the rise in crude oil price would increase Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings, the forex was being used to import refined products.

“I said earlier that what we are experiencing now is quasi-deregulation. The rise in crude oil price has both positive and negative effects on Nigeria. It is positive because it increases our generation of dollars when we sell the crude.

“But it is negative in the sense that we still use that dollar that we have got to import the finished products of crude. That is the problem. For if Nigeria is refining products, then there will be a windfall, but since we import with the dollar that we make, then it makes no sense.”

On whether the rise in oil prices would warrant further hike in the cost of PMS and other finished products, thereby increasing subsidy on petrol particularly, Ukadike replied, “Yes, of course.

“The gap is becoming too much. Also, the exchange rate gap between the official and parallel markets is widening. And these gaps have to be filled by the government through quasi-subsidy on petrol.

“You also know that most of the investors who tried to import products when it was announced that the subsidy on petrol had been removed, are now finding it very difficult to do so.

“This is because after buying the dollar in the parallel market, they cannot recoup what they have invested. So the government must be transparent with this subsidy removal thing. It should apply it to the fullest, so that competition can set it.”

On his part, the President, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said though the cost of crude had been rising lately, the NNPCL should be able to manage it for the benefit of Nigerians, with respect to petroleum products prices.

“Crude oil is selling at a higher price and that price should impact positively, because the major importer of petroleum products is the NNPC and they do that on a swap basis, unless they are telling us that the swap is not efficient.

“For if it is efficient, they should have more money for the size of crude oil they sell, which should impact on the price they pass on to Nigerians. Yes, today it is a commercial company, but it is still owned by Nigerians and is a sovereign company.

“And the fact that Nigerians must benefit from their natural endowment by God should be reflected in the pricing of products by NNPC. That is all I’ll say about this issue,” he stated.

Earlier, the National Secretary, IPMAN, Chief John Kekeocha, had asked the Federal Government to come out clean with respect to fuel subsidy, instead of mandating oil marketers not to dispense the product above a stipulated band.

In August, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had told State House correspondents that President Bola Tinubu had instructed that the cost of petrol should not increase.

“Mr. President, wishes to assure Nigerians following the announcement by the NNPC limited just yesterday (Monday) that there will be no increase in the pump price of PMS anywhere in the country. We repeat, the President affirms that there will be no increase in the pump price of PMS.”

NNPCL had also in August stated that it was not raising petrol price.

“Dear esteemed customers, we at NNPC Retail value your patronage, and we do not have the intention to increase our PMS pump prices as widely speculated. Please buy the best quality products at the most affordable prices at our NNPC Retail stations nationwide,” the company had stated.

NNPC Retail is the downstream subsidiary of NNPCL that retails refined petroleum products for the group.

Kekeocha had told our correspondent that the decision of the Federal Government to put a cap on petrol price meant that subsidy on petrol had been reinstated.

He said, “The government is not being very transparent with this issue. When you say you have removed fuel subsidy, you don’t come again and moderate prices. Is like speaking with the two sides of the mouth.

“Removal of subsidy means you have removed your hands and the prices have to follow demand and supply. So if the NNPC says it is getting forex (foreign exchange) to import products and reduce prices for marketers, are they going to do the same for other importers? Remember the government gave import licenses to about seven marketers?

“Are they still going to moderate prices for those people when they bring in the products? No! You don’t blow hot and cold at the same time. There is no way they can bring in products and reduce the price and peg it for marketers to sell at a certain level, it means they are indirectly bringing back subsidy.

“If they want to bring back subsidy, let them say it openly, that ‘we are going to come back to subsidy because of the pains the country generally is going through.’ This is because the initial things they are supposed to do they did not do it. We have always been clamouring, let the refineries work.”

NARTO raises concern

The National President, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said despite the high cost of operations in the downstream arm of the oil sector, the government had stopped increasing the pump price of PMS.

He noted that since marketers could not raise their pump prices for petrol, it had been impossible for them to increase their costs for the transportation of PMS, stressing that this had made the cost of doing the business unbearable for transporters.

“NARTO is complaining that the high cost of diesel is unbearable. Even if you discuss it with the oil marketers, all they tell you is that government has fixed the pump price (of petrol) at N617/litre, that since they cannot increase pump price, they cannot increase the fare for us. So we are in trouble,” Othman stated.

He said the government should look into the pump price of PMS in order to enable marketers consider raising the transportation price for transporters.

“This is because without looking at the pump price, marketers cannot increase transportation price. And if they do not do that we have no choice than to continue to park. And if we continue to park it will create unwanted disruption of supply and we don’t want that,” Othman stated.

NNPCL appoints EVPs

This came as the NNPCL, on Sunday, announced the appointments of three new Executive Vice Presidents.

It named Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as the new Executive Vice President, Upstream; Olalekan Ogunleye, Executive Vice President, Gas, Power, and New Energy; and Adedapo Segun, Executive Vice President, Downstream.

The announcement, which was posted on the company’s X (formerly Twitter) handle early Sunday, stated that the appointment of the new EVPs was with immediate effect.

This leads to the compulsory retirement of the company’s three former Executive Vice Presidents, including Abdulkabir Ahmed, Gas, Power and New Energies; Adokiye Tombomieye, Upstream; and Adeyemi Adetunji, Downstream.

In July last year, the national oil firm, formerly known as Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, transited fully into a commercial entity, becoming the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Source: https://punchng.com/Marketers_eye-fresh-fuel-price-hike-as-crude-hits-$94

Fathers of many kids will start dying young soon.

Tinubu government will be the worst in the history of NIGERIA. Mark my word. Many stvpid people call such words HATE speech. Some other non reasonable Nigerians will say you don't wish the country good.

You that have been wishing the country good and voting without your brain, why has it not progressed? Propaganda does not run government. Ever since Tinubu came in, the propaganda machine has been driving his government. His policies and his steps and nothing but catastrophic unplanned steps.

Brace up guys. I see Buhari as the most wicked leader Nigeria has ever produced. Man told us we will miss him because he knew he was handing over to a disaster in the waiting.

Morons keep yabbing themselves up and down while the country goes down the drain. Shame.

God bless OBIDIENTS all over the world. The only honest group trying to retrieve it's country from the hands of crooks. Evil propaganda has been used to destroy their unity through religious and tribal cards.

Anywhere una like make una carry us go

SMH i pity peeps without multiple streams of income means yet come online to waste data defending maladministration clearly glearing.

Ganjafama:
Please mentor me on acquiring multiple streams of income.

For multiple streams of income you need to start with one so are you involved in any income venture?.



Wittyness.

NERC, Cooking Gas and now Crude oil prices all skyrocketing. The shit has hit the fan. All the sufferer knows themselves. Enjoy your shege promax fully loaded and upgraded.

Any further increase in pump price will amount to ripple effect on livelihood of Nigerians. It may become a case where a loaf of bread will be sold for N3k.

So many wicked souls in the helm of power stealing the people's mandate.

Tell me why more people no go japa

Nigeria is becoming unbearable, this is survival of the fittest. Why do our government lack sense to make things better?💔💔💔
People are starving and dying of hunger. 💔
What is the hope of the common man?






Greetings y'all. May this day be fruitful for us all. Do well to check my signature if you need my assistance.

Good one cause I want to see fuel rise up to 2k so that Nigerians can have sense by force imagine Air Force and co making noise over the weekend of destroying 30 refineries that they said is illegal instead of converting them to government refineries bush folks everywhere

May that eye be blinded

MrsTwrite:
Nigeria is becoming unbearable, this is survival of the fittest. Why do our government lack sense to make things better?💔💔💔
People are starving and dying of hunger. 💔
What is the hope of the common man?






Greetings y'all. May this day be fruitful for us all. Do well to check my signature if you need my assistance.

Hasn't it occurred to some of us that the concept of population control is actually a thing and often times, a few cruel African leaders attune to it by pushing forth policies capable of snuffing life out of the poorer percentages?!

Racoon:
NERC, Cooking Gas and now Crude oil prices all skyrocketing. The shit has hit the fan. All the sufferer knows themselves. Enjoy your shege promax fully loaded and upgraded.

Just leaving this out there. The Nigerian government does not control the price of crude oil.

If you put Nigeria situation in your thought,you are just going to cause yourself something else

Okay na
Na everybody go collect
Shey we bin suppose vote wisely
Yes we go collect this one by APC govt
One by one

It is well

darling4242:
If you put Nigeria situation in your thought,you are just going to cause yourself something else

They know Nigerians will adjust now.

Since people have been buying it at 600 per liter without complaining, all these Yahoo guys and fraudulent people in Nigeria are just making things difficult for everyone in this country.

Ogun kee you marketers

No wonder when we drove down to fuel station, they are selling diesel at 950, while it was sold at 900 as at Saturday night.
Well where are d useless and lunatics ronu crew, helinues where are thou

There should be no panic ebola go pay the subsidy 😂😂😂😂🏃🏃🏃🏃🏃

Very soon people go turn cannibals

Sai Baba , on your rusty testicles we stand 🙌🏿

No wahala, Nigerians are resilient people....they can endure alot, we like suffering and hardship

Anyways, i make video editing tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YybGgOlD3s

This govt is doing well
Hitting the ground running is bae
Giving marketers power best decision
Converting subsidy to palliative best thing
No refinery b4 subsidy removal best idea
100 days in office alllll rise greet.

Apc da best

Ok

SpecialAdviser:
Tinubu government will be the worst in the history of NIGERIA. Mark my word. Many stvpid people call such words HATE speech. Some other non reasonable Nigerians will say you don't wish the country good.

You that have been wishing the country good and voting without your brain, why has it not progressed? Propaganda does not run government. Ever since Tinubu came in, the propaganda machine has been driving his government. His policies and his steps and nothing but catastrophic unplanned steps.

Brace up guys. I see Buhari as the most wicked leader Nigeria has ever produced. Man told us we will miss him because he knew he was handing over to a disaster in the waiting.

Morons keep yabbing themselves up and down while the country goes down the drain. Shame.

God bless OBIDIENTS all over the world. The only honest group trying to retrieve it's country from the hands of crooks. Evil propaganda has been used to destroy their unity through religious and tribal cards.

U said it all, d most dangerous set of human beings are Tinubu supporters, they are so useless that hunger has started eating down their bone marrow.
We all knew that Tinubu has no economic plan, he has achieved his lifetime ambition.

wittywriter:
SMH i pity peeps without multiple streams of income means yet come online to waste data defending maladministration clearly glearing.




Wittyness.

To them......it will only affect SE people..

SpecialAdviser:
Tinubu government will be the worst in the history of NIGERIA. Mark my word. Many stvpid people call such words HATE speech. Some other non reasonable Nigerians will say you don't wish the country good.

You that have been wishing the country good and voting without your brain, why has it not progressed? Propaganda does not run government. Ever since Tinubu came in, the propaganda machine has been driving his government. His policies and his steps and nothing but catastrophic unplanned steps.

Brace up guys. I see Buhari as the most wicked leader Nigeria has ever produced. Man told us we will miss him because he knew he was handing over to a disaster in the waiting.

Morons keep yabbing themselves up and down while the country goes down the drain. Shame.

God bless OBIDIENTS all over the world. The only honest group trying to retrieve it's country from the hands of crooks. Evil propaganda has been used to destroy their unity through religious and tribal cards.

obidents kor idiot ni, keep trying to save Nigeria, this beast go consume everybody