₦airaland Forum

The Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria has warned the Federal Government to be cautious in granting import licences to petroleum traders for the importation of refined products.

CORAN’s comment came amid the controversy between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and oil marketers.

Members of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria had said they would import Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and sell the product cheaper than the N990/litre offered by the Dangote refinery, saying the association was awaiting the approval of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria also said it was processing its import licence with the NMDPRA, saying it might be cheaper to import than to buy from Dangote refinery.

However, in an interview with our correspondent, the Publicity Secretary of CORAN, Eche Idoko, expressed concerns that the marketers were still bent on importing what he called substandard petrol into the country.

According to him, some international traders were bent on using the Nigerian market as a dumping ground for cheap petroleum products rejected in Europe.

“We are saying categorically that the NMDPRA should stop issuing import licences to people who are bringing in products that we have sufficiency in. Even if they are issuing, it should be based on the shortfall, not to say you are importing so that you can compete.

“We are not telling NMDPRA how to do its job. We are simply telling NMDPRA to protect the Nigerian domestic refining market. And whatever they have to do that they think is best, they should do it. But I do not think giving licences to European traders is good enough to defend the Nigerian market.

“The continuous issuance of import licences will only kill our industry. The government must try and protect the nascent refining industry that is emerging in Nigeria, and they can do that by desisting from giving import licences to these conglomerates that are just interested in making Nigeria a market for their substandard products,“ the CORAN spokesman stated.

Reminded that the Petroleum Industry Act does not stop the NMDPRA from issuing import licences, Idoko replied that the same PIA provided for what he termed backward integration.

“PIA says any product we have in-country refining capacity in, they should stop issuing licences,“ he said.

He noted that CORAN is deeply concerned that quite a number of international traders still have the licence to import fuel.

This, he said, is detrimental to the development of the refining segment of the petroleum sector, saying it will negatively impact the economic recovery and game plan of the country ultimately.

“There is nothing that can be better than building domestic refining capacity. The Nigerian government is not against local refining. People should be talking about building refineries and not importing products,” he explained.

Idoko said international traders are using local traders as an instrument to fight their trade war because they are interested in the Nigerian market, but don’t want to invest in the Nigerian market.

“We are not saying they cannot sell in Nigeria. What we are saying is that if you want to sell, come and build your refinery in Nigeria. Create value in Nigeria. Don’t come and dump your substandard products here because you can’t sell them in Europe again.

“You’re saying you’re bringing cheaper products, how cheap is this product as a matter of fact? You are bringing a lesser product and selling to us at N900 and you say it’s cheap. I’m not holding a brief for Dangote. As I keep saying, we have more than Dangote as a refinery.”

“By next year, we will have three more refineries producing PMS in Nigeria. Why are we not telling these guys to come and set up their refineries or buy into any of the refineries in Nigeria? Why are they not buying into other refineries? NNPC has three refineries that are up for lease. Why are they not coming to take them so they can supply?“ he emphasised.

Idoko said that stopping fuel importation is for the good of the nation.

“What we are saying is for the good of the people. We don’t want people to use us as a market without investing in the economy of Nigeria. We need foreign direct investment to grow the Nigerian economy.

“If the government wants to help Nigerians who have taken the bull by the horns to invest their hard-earned resources, then the government must protect them. World over, governments protect their local industries. Opening up the downstream to importation will continue to affect us. The only solution to energy cost is local refining,“ he stated.

Source: https://punchng.com/Refiners-oppose-petrol-import-licences-to-IPMAN-PETROAN

Looks like there is a cabal hell bent on inflicting further pains on Nigerians.

Who are refiners in Nigeria? Just tell us it's Dangote.


This back and forth games the oil cabals are playing with Nigerians can only happen in a country where the president is either a rogue or probably a member of the oil cabal.

There's no light at the end of the 'toilet' unless Tinubu is removed

Allow them import

Just don't give them our scarce dollars for the importation

Dazall

Now they want FG to provide them with cover, same cover FG gave to local rice producers that are now choking us with price.

Local producers are just evil, especially the ones backed by FG’s local content promotion.

It’s only in Nigeria that imported goods are cheaper than the locally produced (often inferior) ones

Who are the refiners and where are their refineries?

Cabals activities in the oil industry is becoming clearer. They don’t want any form of competition

Nigeria we hail thee... I think people of Nigeria are use to corruption already

Dangote, is that you masquerading as an association?

Who are the refiners? How much pms are they producing and why has pms increased from N195 to N1200 in less than 18 months of Tinubu's disastrous administration?

Dangote and his mushroom association of refiners must not be allowed to hold Nigeria to ransom by getting monopoly.

Nigeria's energy security will be at big risk.

Dangote refinery is already a prime target for other countries that Dangote or Nigeria messes with. They'll simply blow up the refinery so that everyone will suffer like Ukraine is experiencing.

Every well meaning Nigeria must speak against this move by Dangote.

If you know you can't buy fuel for N5000 per litre and you can't buy garri for N10000 per paint rubber, kick against Dangote attempt to monopolize Nigeria's petroleum product sector now

Wicket people everywhere, was it not this same product they claimed to be substandard we have been using all this while? Imagine refining group of nigeria, it's now they are coming out to tell us that they are also refining product they had been collecting subsidy on all their life. It shall never be well with everyone of you.

Is it not the same substandard fuel we have been using for donkey years?

God help my country , Government should give license to everybody and let consumer get Portable Fuel Analyzer to check fuel they want to buy.

I can see Dangote here.

Hmmmmmm

This means more and more pain for Nigerians



I have vesper stones available in large quantities at Abeokuta
Just come to site and start work asap

Wait...... We have Refinery Owners Association?

Because we only know Dangote's refinery only.... Do we have other people owning refineries in Nigeria?

Omo...... If we do and Nigeria is in this kind of mess, then there's no hope for a better Nigeria....

Dangote not refiners

A great country of malpractices where successes are products of malpractices from islam,christianity and ATR,even shortchanging is a celebrated prosperity and fruit of fortuitous labour.

How can imported fuel be cheaper than what is produced at home.?These guys are taking advantage of us.

Nigeria's matter is beyond ordinary.

Omo Dangote bad ghannnnnn !!


I even thought his religion will make him be kind hearted towards mankind , but oops there I was wrong again 😢

Which refiners?!.
There is only dangote!!

He should stop hiding behind fake associations !! The useless coward wants a monopoly in petrol so he can do what he did in cement and sugar!!! Useless bastard.

How can you be going to Sokoto to get what's in your sokoto! Ah, Nigeria! How on earth would imported petrol be cheaper than the locally produced - no be magic be that?
God save Nigeria from its detractors.

Who are the refiners or refiner? Instead of you telling us that you have collected your tips, you are defending corruption in the system, where on earth is imported products are cheaper that locally manufactured where you are supplier of raw materials. Anyway we all that Nigeria is a joke couple with rogue as president. When the head is rot what do you expect

NastiLord:
Who are refiners in Nigeria? Just tell us it's Dangote.


This back and forth games the oil cabals are playing with Nigerians can only happen in a country where the president is either a rogue or probably a member of the oil cabal.

There's no light at the end of the 'toilet' unless Tinubu is removed

Hanhan! His brother is the proxy.

You build Refinery for 9ja sef na problem. The more people suffer, the more some people are enjoying.

Barrywilly:
Looks like there is a cabal hell bent on inflicting further pains on Nigerians.

I tell you. Why importing fuel ? We don't need the importation of fuel for any reason. What is really wrong with Tinubu self? Is this the way to encourage investors in Nigeria? Govt has been struggling to make our refineries work, but they couldn't. Here, we have people that have invested their resources in building refineries but because of greed govt want to ruin them.

Nobody send una papa again... Anything u like make una do

Very soon una go dey refine the fuel dey drink am. Report has it that fuel consumption dropped from 65 million liters a day to less than 4 million litters a day. Una kontinu ooo useless people

Why this new care for the people? Is it not the same petrol we've been using for yearssss.

Bullet01:
How can imported fuel be cheaper than what is produced at home.?These guys are taking advantage of us.

abi o, 'how can' That's why we shouldn't be bothered about them, you know what, let's leave them to import, let's see maybe they will sell cheaper to Nigerians.