Oil marketers have stated that they do not have details of the logistic challenges that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) claimed are responsible for the current low supply of products nationwide.
The Chairman of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Satellite Depot, Lagos, Akin Akinrinade, emphasized that oil marketers should not be blamed for the current fuel situation. In an interview with Channels Television, Akinrinade asserted that oil marketers are in the business to make money, so they won’t keep products in their tanks if it is available.
He stated, “Do you blame oil marketers for the current situation? If NNPCL gives us products, we will sell them because we are businessmen. We are in this business to make money, so we won’t keep products in our tanks if we have.”
Akinrinade revealed that NNPCL claimed to have 240 million litres in store to distribute, but they did not provide details about the logistics challenges they faced. He said, “They said they have a logistics problem and have 240 million litres in store to distribute. But that was what they told us since last weekend. They said the logistics challenges have been resolved but they didn’t tell us the type of logistics problem they have.”
He further added, “For now, NNPCL stations are mostly the ones selling with just a few others getting supply. But you know our members have the largest number of stations nationwide. If they give IPMAN stations products, you will see that the queues will disappear immediately.”
