Early this week, Dangote Refinery commenced production of premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol. However, there were reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) would be the sole buyer of the petrol, which sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians. KINGSLEY ALUMONA, AWAU ADEGOKE, AYOMIDE MAKINDE, ELIZABETH INNOCENT, and OLUWADARASIMI FAJOBI sampled the opinions of some Nigerians on this matter. Their views:
Danjuma Doma
This is wrong. NNPCL would buy and sell to marketers to maintain a price regime that suits the company. Why should that be? We have seen how the company, through the powers that be, tried to frustrate Dangote Refinery from taking off because of some ulterior motives. They did not succeed in stopping the refinery from commencing production, now they are coming through another way. Every right-thinking Nigerian should condemn this latest move by NNPCL to further control the petroleum market in the country through a dubious and mischievous middlemanship that is completely unnecessary.
Dada Adeola
It is fine and good for Nigeria to regulate or stop smuggling. NNPCL would regulate and know the amount of petrol consumed locally as well as regulate the amount of petrol exported in the best interest of Nigerians. My only concern is the high price of the PMS. The Federal Government should do something about that because this is the time the price should be reduced.
Hayat Jankai
NNPCL would buy at a lower rate and sell at a higher rate and would allow marketers to sell at their own decided prices to prove that petrol is not cheap. NNPCL boss, Mele Kyari, one day said that Dangote Refinery was not built to make PMS cheap. If you were to ask what subsidy means before now, they would tell you it is the subsidisation of petrol transportation cost from abroad. Now that crude oil is being refined in Lagos, the cost of transportation is eliminated, what makes petrol more expensive than before?
Abdurrahman Abdulhakeem
With NNPC as the sole buyer of Dangote Refinery’s petrol, the market would become monopolised. Also, over-dependence on NNPCL filling stations has been escalating lately due to a hike in price from other filling stations. However, NNPCL, selling cheaper petrol, might have been because of the market dynamics. If Nigeria’s economy becomes dependent on NNPCL, it could make it vulnerable to fluctuations and the situation could close the gap on transparency, making it difficult to track the flow of funds from petrol sales. It could probably violate Nigerian laws, especially those regulating competition and fair market.
Adesanya Pius
NNPCL should be the sole distributor of Dangote Refinery’s petrol so they can regulate the price for the interest of the country. Marketers, if allowed, could dictate prices for their interests. The Federal Government, through the NNPCL, may decide to subsidise the price of fuel from the refinery, which would be easier and transparent, as every fuel loading would easily be tracked.
Jacob Ekpekurede
I am not in support of NNPCL being the sole buyer of Dangote Refinery’s petrol because the Federal Government has three refineries. If they cannot make the three refineries work, then let the government sack all the staff and give the refineries to Dangote for proper management. If NNPCL is allowed to be the sole buyer of Dangote Refinery’s petrol, there would be a monopoly.
Mukail Abdulhafeez
The coming of Dangote Refinery into the oil and gas sector would not yield the same monopoly his other companies have in the cement and food industries. Many lions are hunting around the oil and gas sectors. Up till now, there are still questions unanswered about the fuel subsidy fund meant to bring our refineries back to life, as this also has to do with Dangote Refinery. If NNPCL would be the sole buyer of Dangote Refinery’s petrol, it means the price of the petrol would still be determined by the same group of people diverting our subsidised petrol to Niger and Benin Republic to be sold at a cheaper price.
Kali Gwegwe
Making NNPCL the exclusive buyer of Dangote Refinery’s petrol is a confirmation, by most Nigerians, that the Federal Government is not sincere about ending our suffering. Apart from having trucks to move products, NNPCL has not come clean of allegations of corruption against its managers. An organisation that cannot maintain its refineries should not be trusted with dealing sincerely with a competitor. Independent marketers, with proven capacity, should also be allowed to deal directly with Dangote Refinery to discourage monopoly and additional costs incurred by NNPCL as the potential middleman.
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