The Nigerian Senate has decided to investigate the increasing presence of substandard Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel in the Nigerian market. This decision comes shortly after the Dangote Refinery’s promoters accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of permitting oil marketers to import low-quality fuel into the country.
The resolution was made following the adoption of an urgent motion presented by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong during Wednesday’s plenary session in Abuja.
Senator Ekpeyong highlighted a report dated June 16, which indicated that 12 diesel cargoes, totaling 660 kilotons, were exported by refineries to offshore Lome, Togo, for further distribution primarily to the Nigerian market. He noted that the quality of this diesel was substandard regarding flash and sulfur levels.
Despite the NMDPRA revising the diesel importation standards in line with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021, Ekpeyong pointed out that the authority has failed to enforce compliance with these standards effectively.
Consequently, the Senate has formed an ad-hoc committee to investigate the ongoing importation of hazardous petroleum products and the dumping of substandard diesel into Nigeria.
