The Senate has raised concerns about the rising influx of substandard Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, and diesel in the Nigerian market.
Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong highlighted a report from June 16, 2024, revealing that 12 diesel cargoes, carrying a total of 660 kilotons of diesel, were exported by refineries to offshore Lome, Togo, for further distribution to West African markets, primarily Nigeria.
Senator Ekpeyong pointed out that the quality of the diesel was below Nigerian standards, particularly in terms of flash and sulfur levels. He noted that, despite the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) recently revising the standards for diesel importation in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021, the agency has been unable to enforce compliance.
In response, the Senate has established an ad-hoc committee to investigate the ongoing importation of hazardous petroleum products and the dumping of substandard diesel in Nigeria. Senator Ekpeyong also criticized the NMDPRA for continuing to issue import licenses for diesel and jet fuel despite sufficient local production capacity.
Lawmakers expressed outrage, describing the situation as sabotage and a clear failure of the PIA’s objectives. The Upper Chamber declared that those responsible for these illicit activities must be held accountable and face legal consequences.
