NNPC explains how substandard fuel was imported into Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has listed names of  firms allegedly responsible for importing adulterated petrol into the country.

Speaking after the federal government said an investigation would be carried out, NNPC’s Group Managing Director Mele Kyari said the fuel came from Antwerp in Belgium.

The NNPC which manages fuel imports through the government’s Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase vendors, listed the vendors as MRS, Oando, Duke Oil and Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium.

Kyari who disclosed that tests conducted by NNPC’s quality inspectors, including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G before discharge showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specifications, further revealed that none of the tests conducted included a check to ascertain the percentage of methanol in the product before release.

He said; 

“On 20th January 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.

“Cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicate that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.

“The NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge and also showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specification.

“As a standard practice for all PMS imports to Nigeria, the said cargoes were equally certified by inspection agents appointed by the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDRA).

“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium & our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content & therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors’’

The NNPC GMD said in order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, the company promptly ordered the separation of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine).

Kyari added; 

“All defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC Ltd is working with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.”