Oil marketers in Nigeria are expressing their frustration over the shutdown of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) petrol purchasing portal, which has hindered their ability to place new orders. The marketers are currently awaiting the delivery of over 90 million litres of petrol valued at approximately N79 billion from the state-owned company.
NNPC had confirmed the portal’s closure, attributing it to the need to manage a significant backlog of orders. NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye explained that the decision was made to prevent marketers’ funds from being held for extended periods while the backlog is addressed. “We have a significant backlog to clear, and the portal was shut down to prevent holding marketers’ capital for too long,” Soneye stated, assuring that the portal would be reopened once the backlog is sufficiently reduced.
Despite these assurances, marketers remain frustrated as over 2,000 petrol supply tickets are still pending. Chinedu Ukadike, National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), confirmed that while marketers are still loading products, they cannot access the portal to confirm prices or place new orders. He estimated that each 45,000-litre truckload of petrol costs around N39.5 million, totaling approximately N79 billion for the pending tickets.
The Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) also reported that its members are affected by the portal’s shutdown. PETROAN President Billy Gillis-Harry remarked, “The portal shutdown affects us too; we are all buying from NNPC.”
In response to the portal’s closure, independent marketers have turned to private depot owners, purchasing petrol at higher prices, which has resulted in increased fuel costs at their stations compared to NNPC and major marketers’ outlets. Some marketers have reported waiting months for petrol supplies after making payments, with delays extending up to three months. In light of these issues, some are exploring alternative options, including direct petrol purchases from Dangote, to maintain price parity across the board.
