The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
IPMAN demands the immediate payment of N100bn in bridging claims owed to its members or faces nationwide industrial action.
Bridging claims cover transportation costs for fuel distribution across Nigeria, ensuring uniform pump prices in all regions.
Failure to meet the ultimatum may lead to severe fuel scarcity, impacting the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) nationwide.
The Chairman of IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhasan, disclosed this during a press conference held in Abuja on Monday.
Alhasan expressed frustration over NMDPRA’s failure to settle the debt, despite promises made 40 days ago in a stakeholders’ meeting.
He noted that the meeting, attended by the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, yielded no results as the debt remains unpaid.
Alhasan warned that if the NMDPRA fails to pay the money within the given deadline, services would be withdrawn nationwide.
Northern depots in Jos, Gusau, Minna, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola, and Maiduguri are currently grounded due to unpaid claims.
IPMAN criticized the five per cent levy imposed on petrol station sales by NMDPRA, calling it unconstitutional and anti-developmental.
The association stressed that the funds owed were deductions from marketers’ payments, not government allocations, meant for bridging allowances.
Prolonged non-payment has caused devastating effects, including business closures, staff layoffs, and commercial banks taking over business premises.
Despite multiple attempts, the NMDPRA’s spokesperson, George Ene-Ita, did not respond to inquiries regarding the looming strike action.
The situation remains critical, with potential economic disruptions looming if the NMDPRA fails to resolve the debt within seven days.
Recall that in 2022, the government paid oil marketers N74bn in bridging claims and another N2.7bn in 2024 for freight differentials.
However, IPMAN’s latest demands highlight persistent challenges in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, requiring urgent government intervention.
