By Peter Adelowo
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, says there is no law that prohibits Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, from importing fuel when necessary.
The NMDPRA added that all the petroleum products imported to the country this year are of standard quality, clarified that the NNPCL has not imported the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol this year.
The Executive Director, Distribution System, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, who stated this in a news briefing in Abuja, noted that local refineries met 50 per cent national consumption requirement while the shortfall is imported by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
He explained that the contribution of local refineries has been less than a 60 per cent shortfall in January and February 2025.
He however specifically noted that none of the OMCs that owned refineries have imported petroleum products this year.
“So, just for clarity, what I am saying is that the contribution of local refining towards the sufficiency was less than 60 per cent in January and less than 50 percent in February 2025.
He added that the shortfall is sourced by way of importation.
“Even though none of the OMCs that owned refineries have imported this year PMS.”
He said the NMDPRA always insists that all petroleum products meet the specifications of the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to him, the Authority does not permit the distribution of products that fall short of quality standards.
“You must meet those specifications, otherwise we will not let those products be distributed,” he said.
He announced that the NMDPRA has banned trucks carrying over 60,000 litres of hydrocarbon products from loading effective from 1st March 2025.
Similarly, a statement by the NNPC spokesman, Femi Soneye, on Tuesday, while reacting to a report on alleged importation of 200million litres, noted that while NNPC Limited has not imported PMS in 2025, ” it is important to clarify that there is no law prohibiting NNPC Limited from importing when necessary”.
“As a company primarily responsible for ensuring energy security in Nigeria, if there were any PMS supply insufficiency in the future, NNPC Limited has the right and responsibility to intervene by importing to bridge the gap.”
