Monopoly Should Be Discouraged – Oil Marketers

Oil marketers, led by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), have advocated for a holistic market in which Nigerian refiners, importers, depot owners, and retail outlets all compete on an equal footing.

The oil marketers expressed concern regarding the availability and cost of petroleum products in the country, whether through local refining or importation.

“Everybody should be allowed to play in the market. Even importation should not be a crime because it is not a crime, the PIA makes provision for that. But as patriotic Nigerians that we are, we encourage that let us pursue our internal market and grow our economy strong.”

Gillis-Harry also stated that oil marketers are not concerned that the Dangote Refinery and other independent refiners in the country are headed toward monopoly, as was previously claimed in November.

“We are not afraid that Dangote or any other refinery is moving towards monopoly as earlier suspected or thought about, but we will continue to advise that let refiners refine, let depot owners keep soaring and let retail outlet owners keep retailing too. The whole value chain obligation is to meet Nigerians’ needs,” he said.

The PETROAN chief stated that his members are loyal to all refineries in the country, including the Dangote Refinery, as well as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri.

“Our members are lifting from every possible source. Our loyalty is to every possible source where we can get petroleum products. Primarily, we have a long-term relationship with the NNPCL, which is one company an agreement has been entered into with for so many years, and we will continue to benefit the values of those agreements with our bulk purchase agreement and the allocation of products.

“We also load from Dangote Refinery because that is a very credible source that we also lift petroleum products from. PETROAN has also entered into a business relationship – the Dangote-MRS-PETROAN relationship. So everywhere there is product to be bought, once our members complete the processes, they start lifting products immediately.”

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli