The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has warned that the pump price of petrol in the country may go up to as much as N1000 per litre when the petrol subsidy regime comes to an end if there is no alternative energy source.
The DPR stated this just as some oil and gas experts have advocated for a measure from the government that will ensure that Nigeria gets commensurate value from its abundant oil and gas resources like its fellow oil-producing nations.
This was disclosed by the Director of DPR, Mr Sarki Auwalu while answering questions after delivering a paper titled, ‘A Discussion on the Future of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry’, he delivered in Lagos, recently.
READ: FG to save N1 trillion annually from petrol subsidy removal
Auwalu said ending petrol subsidy would require making alternative fuel available to Nigerians and that failure to do that will plunge Nigerians into paying higher petrol prices when subsidy is removed with Nigerians probably going to pay as high as N1,000 to buy one litre of petrol in the country. This will require alternative energy or autogas gas policy to become fully operational.
He, however, said the alternative fuel regime comes with initial cost as it will lead to spending $400 to convert one vehicle from running on petrol or diesel to running on either Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) or Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
READ: Cost of petrol per litre in Nigeria surges by 28.49% year-on-year in June 2021
What the DPR Director/Chief Executive Officer is saying
Auwalu reiterated that converting 8 million public vehicles currently present in Nigeria to gas-powered will cumulatively cost $3.2 billion to achieve.
He said: “So, to eliminate subsidy, they don’t call it subsidy anymore now, it’s under-recovery of purchase. So, to eliminate under-recovery, what you need is alternative fuel. Without alternative, you will subject people to higher prices and that is why we go for price freedom.
“As at today, there are 22 million cars in Nigeria. eight million are for public use. Imagine if you want to convert every car into gas, the average cost of conversion is $400. Converting eight million cars requires $3.2 billion. To do that, there are a lot of environmental investors which can invest and recover from the sale of gas and we are encouraging that.
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“Once that is achieved, you will see that PMS can be sold at N1000. After all, the average distance covered by one gallon equivalent when you compare it with LNG or CNG with respect to energy for mobility is 2.7 against one. One for PMS, 2.7 for LNG or CNG.
” So, with that advantage, you will see that it creates an opportunity for this industry again. The issue of subsidy, the volume will all vanish and that is what we are working towards.”
He, however, warned that the rise in Nigeria’s local refining capacity as seen in the coming on stream of a number of refineries in the country without a corresponding increase in the country’s oil production volume may threaten the country’s membership of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
READ: Can Nigeria afford petrol at N500?
In case you missed it
The DPR Director had earlier disclosed that the country was only operating 1,300 of its 7,000 reservoirs, noting that the Department aimed to achieve refinery revolution as defined under the decade of gas.
He said that the oil and gas regulator was also optimising the production to ensure that investors get a return on their investments while also reducing the cost of production.
