The Nigerian oil giant, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured organised labour and Nigerians that there is no plan to increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol in the month of February.
This follows the reported rumour of plans to increase the price of petrol due to the continuous increase in the global price of crude oil and the reported hoarding of the product by some depot owners and marketers.
The assurance was contained in a statement issued by the NNPC and signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru, on Thursday in Abuja.
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Obateru in the statement said, “In spite of the rise in the price of crude oil in the international market, NNPC has ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of PMS in February 2021.’’
Obateru in the statement explained that the decision was to allow ongoing engagements with organised labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that would not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship.
While giving assurances that the corporation had enough stockpile of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for about 40 days, he urged petroleum products marketers not to engage in the hoarding of PMS in order not to create artificial scarcity and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.
Obateru also called on relevant regulatory authorities to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in products hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price.
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What you should know
- It can be recalled that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had in March 2020 announced the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry and the subsequent removal of the petrol subsidy.
- He said that subsequently, the prices of petroleum products would be determined by prevailing market forces.
- With the increase in the oil price to about $65 per barrel, oil marketers and other stakeholders have insisted that the current petrol price is not sustainable unless the Federal Government would return back to the subsidy regime, which has no provision in the 2021 budget.
- The ex-depot price is the price at which oil marketers buy products from the depot and the price determines the price at which they sell to motorists at their various petrol stations.
PRESS RELEASE:
No Increase in Fuel Price in February – #NNPC
In spite of the rise in the price of crude oil in the international market, the #NNPC has ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in February, 2021.
Thread… pic.twitter.com/zfZG4JpkxT
— NNPC Group (@NNPCgroup) February 18, 2021
