Fuel Scarcity Imminent Across Nigeria As IPMAN Gives FG 7-Day Ultimatum To Clear Off ₦100 Billion Debt

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has given a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw services across the country over the non-payment of bridging claims amounting to ₦100 billion.

The Chairman of the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhasan, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

He disclosed that the Nigerian government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA) has failed to clear its ₦100 billion bridging debt owed to petrol marketers 40 days after promising to do so in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

He revealed that Northern depots, comprising the Jos depot, Gusau depot, Minna depot, Suleja depot, Kaduna depot, Kano depot, Gombe depot, Yola depot, and Maiduguri depot, have become completely grounded due to this lingering debt.

Alhasan said, “If NMDPRA doesn’t pay our money within seven days, we are going to withdraw our services across the nation.

“We are extremely frustrated that one year after our last demand as a forum, requesting the payment of over N100 billion owed to our members in bridging and NTA claims by the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, the management of the NMDPRA has deliberately ignored our request, even after making clear promises to pay us.

“One of those promises was made by the NMDPRA at the stakeholders’ meeting convened on the eve of the last strike action declared by NARTO. At that stakeholders’ meeting, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, listed this same IPMAN bridging claim as part of their demands before the strike action would be called off.

“The NMDPRA promised to offset the bridging claims in 40 days, even in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, and the DG DSS, Mr. Adeola Ajayi. However, 40 days have today become months with no hope of our payment.

Hence, the nine (9) Northern depots, comprising the Jos depot, Gusau depot, Minna depot, Suleja depot, Kaduna depot, Kano depot, Gombe depot, Yola depot, and Maiduguri depot, have become completely grounded due to this lingering debt.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is imperative to state again that this debt being owed to us is money belonging to marketers, which was deducted from us at the point of payment for products to settle our bridging allowances.

“We have also continued to record the deaths of our members, the closure of their businesses, the retrenchment of staff, and the takeover of their business premises by commercial banks, all arising from this refusal of the NMDPRA to pay us our money.”