The pursuit of more affordable Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by Nigerians may soon come to fruition, as reports indicate that Dangote petrol could be priced between N857 and N865 per litre.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL)
is set to commence the lifting of this product from Dangote Refinery today,
provided there are no unforeseen delays.
NNPCL has reached an agreement to lift petrol at a rate of
N960 to N980 per litre, selling it to marketers at N840 to N850, although it
remains uncertain whether these prices will be uniformly applied across filling
stations nationwide.
Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of
NNPC Ltd., confirmed the company's readiness to begin lifting petrol today,
stating to Sunday Vanguard: “NNPC Ltd has initiated the deployment of our
trucks and vessels to the Dangote Refinery to facilitate the lifting of PMS in
line with the scheduled date of September 15th, as established by the refinery.
Our trucks and personnel are already on-site, prepared to commence lifting.
We anticipate an increase in the number of trucks, with
operations continuing throughout the weekend to ensure we can start loading as
soon as the refinery is operational on September 15, 2024.” Soneye noted that
at least 100 trucks have already arrived at the refinery for petrol lifting,
with the potential for that number to rise to 300 by Saturday evening.
Additionally, Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary of the
Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN),
remarked: “We have been engaged in the lifting of diesel (AGO) and aviation
fuel (jet fuel) and are eager to begin lifting petrol (PMS). We are awaiting
clarification regarding the pricing structure, and once that is established, we
will take the necessary steps to meet the energy demands of Nigerians.”
Furthermore, Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating
Minister of the Economy, stated yesterday that structuring the NNPCL and
Dangote Refinery deal in naira would help alleviate pressure on the local
currency.
Mohammed Manga, the Director of Information and Public
Relations at the ministry, announced: "In a significant step aimed at
alleviating pressure on the Naira, reducing unnecessary transaction costs, and
enhancing the availability of petroleum products, the Federal Government has
successfully commenced the sale of crude oil to local refineries, along with
the corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the
Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, made this announcement today in his Abuja office,
following a meeting of the Technical Sub-Committee focused on the sale of crude
oil to local refineries in Naira.
Represented by Dr. Zacch Adedeji, the Executive Chairman of
the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Minister confirmed that all
agreements and modalities for implementing the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
approval regarding the sale of crude to local refineries in Naira and the
associated purchase of petroleum products in Naira have been finalized."