The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has issued a stern warning to fuel marketers, stating that they risk losing their licenses if they engage in illegal practices such as hoarding fuel, selling into jerry cans, or tampering with meters.
This announcement was made by Ogbugo Ukoha, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, during an inspection tour in Abuja on Friday.
Ukoha emphasized that retail petrol stations must stop selling fuel to black marketers, as such actions pose significant safety risks and violate federal regulations. He urged stations to take the warning seriously and seek security reinforcements if necessary to comply with the rules.
The NMDPRA reiterated this stance on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, stating that it is waging a “war against the illegal sale of petroleum products, especially PMS in jerry cans.” The authority warned that any filling stations caught servicing illegal peddlers would face the suspension of their retail licenses.
This warning comes amid ongoing fuel scarcity issues, particularly in the northern region of Nigeria. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had earlier attributed the shortages to supply disruptions caused by vessel discharge issues and bad weather conditions. Despite assurances from the NNPCL that efforts are being made to resolve the crisis, fuel shortages persist.
The government remains committed to ensuring the availability of fuel and is working closely with stakeholders to restore normal operations. However, it has made it clear that any fuel station found engaging in illegal activities will face severe consequences, including the potential revocation of their license.
