Probe importation of adulterated petrol; Nigerians in diaspora tells Tinubu

The Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe (ANPE) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to investigate the alleged importation of adulterated petrol into Nigeria.

This comes after claims that some petrol marketers are importing substandard fuel into the country.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that any oil marketer selling petrol cheaper than their product is importing substandard fuel.

However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has denied allegations that adulterated petrol was sold to a customer from one of its retail outlets in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Reacting to this, ANPE, through its president, Solomon Ola, in a statement on Wednesday, called upon President Tinubu to urgently investigate the claims, noting that it could jeopardise the nation’s economy.

ANPE said the importation of adulterated petrol into Nigeria could have diplomatic consequences due to sanctions imposed on Russian-sourced crude and petroleum products.

“Importation of the sanctioned-tainted petrol into Nigeria would no doubt have diplomatic consequences, bearing in mind the sanctions that the price cap coalition, comprising the European Union, the United States, the G7, and Australia, imposed on Russian-sourced crude and petroleum products,” the statement read.

“ANPE has consequently decided to urge President Bola Tinubu, as a matter of national interest, to use his mandate as the country’s chief executive to halt the designation of Nigeria as a dumping ground for foreign-sourced tainted, adulterated, and questionable petroleum products.”

ANPE added that the union is “sad and alarmed” that Nigeria has become a lucrative destination for the dumping of adulterated petroleum products such as PMS, popularly known as petrol, which industry experts have tagged as fake fuel.

It stated, “Our association is concerned that the petroleum products in question are still being dumped in Nigeria even after industry experts have warned about their substandard nature, which poses material and economic risks to Nigerians whose vehicles and equipment could be damaged by dirty fuel.

“Fake fuel also has negative implications for the environment in addition to the associated dangers that the fumes from these products pose to public health, a situation that the Nigerian government would find exceptionally challenging since such a health burden would further stretch already lean public finances.”

The association also stated that its third concern is the absurdity of importing relatively pricier petrol into Nigeria when more affordable and quality options are available from local refineries.

It said, “This insistence on flooding Nigeria with bad petrol is equally bad for the economy. It is actively sabotaging President Tinubu’s economic policy.”