The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened strike actions over the non-payment of over N100 billion in bridging claims owed to its members by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
In a communique released on Monday by the Depot Chairmen of IPMAN, the marketers expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in payment, despite repeated assurances from the NMDPRA.
The communique which was signed by the Chairman of IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhassan, noted that the NMDPRA had made a series of pledges to pay the debts but has continuously reneged.
“One of those promises was made by the NMDPRA, at the stakeholders meeting convened on the eve of the last strike action declared by NARTO. At that stakeholders meeting, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) listed this same IPMAN bridging claims as part of their demands before the strike action would be called off.
“The NMDPRA promised to offset the bridging claims in 40 days even in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu and the DG DSS, Mr. Adeola Ajayi. However, 40 days have today become months with no hope of our payment,” the statement read.
The depot owners stated that the unpaid claims have forced nine major depots in the northern region—Jos, Gusau, Minna, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola, and Maiduguri—to shut down operations, exacerbating fuel supply challenges for residents of the region.
Marketers facing severe hardship as a result of the debt
IPMAN lamented the severe economic impact of the debt on its members, citing business closures, staff retrenchments, and even deaths.
- The communique noted that many marketers have lost their businesses to commercial banks due to loan defaults linked to unpaid bridging claims.
- IPMAN also accused the NMDPRA of imposing “abnormal levies” on marketers, including a controversial 5% commission on petrol station sales.
“When has the NMDPRA turned herself into real estate agents; collecting a commission on sales of Retail Petrol Outlets??” the statement queried.
Fuel scarcity looms
IPMAN threatened to collaborate with its sister organizations, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and NARTO, to take collective action such as withdrawing tankers from loading petroleum products, if the government fails to intervene promptly.
“But in view of their constant refusal, we have therefore decided to liaise with our sister organizations; the PTD and NARTO in order to take a collective action in due course.
“As members of IPMAN, it is important to state that we also own sizeable numbers of petroleum tankers driven by the PTD, and we may be forced to withdraw our tankers from loading petroleum products in a view to enforce the immediate payment of our bridging and NTA claims, the association threatened.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu to fully intervene in these prolonged disputes… We will not hesitate to immediately take actions in due course if our demands are not met immediately beginning from today Monday 24th February 2025,” it added.
Disrupting tanker movement or preventing loading in depots may result in fuel supply shortages nationwide, as past disputes involving petroleum marketers, transporters and regulatory bodies have often led to scarcity.
