Mele Kyari, NNPC GMD

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC Ltd on Wednesday evening identified MRS, OandoEmadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, and Duke Oil as the four companies that imported adulterated petrol into the country.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had on Tuesday confirmed that adulterated petrol with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in the supply chain.

Methanol is a regular additive in petrol and is usually blended in an acceptable quantity.

The company had consequently ordered the withdrawal of the adulterated petrol from the market, a development which led to emergence of fuel queues in some parts of the country.

However, there have also been complaints by motorists of damaged engines as a result of the adulterated fuel.

There have also been calls on NNPC to reveal the importer of the adulterated petrol.

However, addressing the press on Wednesday evening, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC Ltd, Malam Mele Kyari, said the Methanol- blended petrol was imported into the country by the suppliers through four Premium Motor Spirit cargoes under its Direct Sales Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement.

Kyari said the DSDP arrangement is part of strategies by the NNPC to ensure sustained supply of petroleum products in the country.

“We wish to update our customers and the public on the ongoing efforts by NNPC and other stakeholders to resolve the issues generated by the unfortunate supply and discharge of methanol blended gasoline (PMS) in some Nigerian depots.

“On 20th January 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.

“NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in Four (4) PMS cargoes imported by the following DSDP suppliers namely MRS, , Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando, Duke Oil.

“Cargoes quality certificates issued at loadport (Antwerp Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicate that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.

“The NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge also showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specification,’’ Kyari said.

He explained that the DSDP is an arrangement that allows the NNPC to deliver monthly crude oil lifting on Free on Board (FOB) basis to supplier who shall in return, deliver petroleum products of Nigerian standard specification to NNPC on Delivered at Place (DAP) basis, at designated safe port(s) in Nigeria.

The petroleum products to be delivered will be equivalent in value to the crude oil received from the NNPC subject to the general terms and conditions as would be advised to successful companies subsequently via Term Sheet (TS).

The four companies made the importation through a vessel named MT Bow Pioneer, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium through vessel identified as MT Tom Hilde, Oando through a vessel named MT Elka Apollon, and Duke Oil through MT Nord Gainer vessel.

Kyari said all the suppliers of the contaminated petrol have been put on notice for “remedial actions.’’

“All defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC will work with the authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.

“The NNPC will work with the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (MDPRA) to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.

“As a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has met Nigerian specification.

“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for percent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.

“In order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, we have ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine),’’ the NNPC boss said.