Petroleum marketers and retailers are gearing up to commence lifting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the Port Harcourt Refining Company this week, according to the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN). This marks a significant shift in fuel distribution in the region.
Joseph Obele, Publicity Secretary of PETROAN, revealed the update in an exclusive conversation. He highlighted that since the refinery resumed operations in November, its fuel has primarily been supplied to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail outlets.
Currently, private marketers continue to source imported fuel from the NNPCL depots.
Obele raised concerns about price disparities in fuel distribution. He explained that while marketers in Lagos purchase PMS at N899 per litre, those in Port Harcourt are charged N970 per litre. He urged the NNPC to eliminate this price gap, especially as the Port Harcourt refinery is now operational.
“NNPC is still telling us to buy at a rate different from the rate they are selling to Lagos at the moment because of logistics. So, Port Harcourt retail outlet owners are not really comfortable with that. Hence, the Port Harcourt refinery will start servicing us this week.
“We are also requesting that the same rate NNPC is selling to our members at Lagos should be the rate they will be selling to us over here in Port Harcourt too. We are not really comfortable with that disparity,” he disclosed.
Responding to questions about the refinery’s output, he confirmed that it had not yet supplied independent marketers. However, this is expected to change within days.
In his request to the NNPC, Obele stated, “We in Port Harcourt, we plead with the NNPC to sell to us at the same rate they are selling fuel to Lagos marketers. The difference is too much. It is N899 per litre in Lagos but N970 in Port Harcourt. It is far higher than that of Lagos.
“The way they explain it, it is like their own vessel will be bringing it and shipping it over to Port Harcourt depot for us to buy. So, we are now saying that since you will be selling directly to us from the refinery, you now have the stock available. Sell to us at the same rate you are selling to Lagos marketers.
“So, that’s where we are right now. Our request is that the NNPC should sell to us from the Port Harcourt refinery at the same rate they are selling the product to those in Lagos.”
The Port Harcourt refinery’s older unit, which processes 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily, resumed operations in late 2024 after several delays. The NNPC also assured stakeholders that rehabilitation of the larger 150,000-barrel-per-day unit is nearing completion.
