A-Z moves to tackle dirty fuel challenges

Nigeria is a significant producer of crude oil. But due to its lack of refining capacity, the country must import more than half of its diesel and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which is high in sulphur, mostly from Europe and the United States (U.S).

According to a recent report by Public Eye, around 50 per cent of the fuels imported to West Africa come from Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp, collectively known as the “ARA” region.

It noted that trade statistics show 80 per cent of the diesel exported from ARA to Africa has sulphur content at least 100 times above the European standard.

This figure, it added, soared to an average 90 percent for West Africa, with Ghana (93 per cent), Guinea (100 per cent), Senegal (82 per cent), Nigeria (84 per cent) and Togo (96 per cent) receiving the biggest volumes.

This has led key stakeholders in the sector to take steps to arrest this development by ensuring the importation of quality product into the country.

One of such companies is A-Z Petroleum in this regard. Established in 1995 as a subsidiary of Chicason Group, the company has been able to grow a network of key distributors and depots in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, making A-Z products easily accessible to existing and potential customers.

According to the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Chicason Group, Dikanna Okafor, counterfeiting poses a serious threat to local economies and the brands that have worked hard to build reputations and consumer confidence in their products.

He said that consumers are always looking for the best deals and not necessarily aware of the risks involved in purchasing counterfeit products.

Okafor said the purchase of counterfeit products has more effects than the average customer can imagine as they open them to health risks owing to the quality of the materials used in producing the counterfeit products.