The Federal Authorities has introduced that no unlicensed petroleum product seller could be allowed to load merchandise from June 1, 2023, because it vowed to close down such companies starting from that day.
It made this identified on Monday and warned that from June 1, 2023, anybody who desires to deal on petroleum merchandise should get hold of a licence, stressing that “no licence, no loading of any petroleum product.”
The federal government gave the warning in Abuja by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority at a stakeholders’ engagement on fuel utilisation in Nigeria.
The target of the engagement was to enlighten operators on the necessity to urgently get hold of the requisite petroleum storage licence and to engender the transition from white merchandise to fuel.
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“No licence, no loading. We nonetheless have like 9 days to do the precise factor and comply. Because the scripture says, obedience is best than sacrifice. As a regulator we want that individuals comply in order that it doesn’t have opposed results in your companies.
“If there isn’t a compliance, we are able to guarantee you from the authority that from 1st of June, there will probably be no licence, no loading. Any depot, any licensed operator who provides petroleum merchandise to an unlicensed facility, we are going to shut down that operator,” the Govt Director, Distribution Methods, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, acknowledged.
He added, “I need to make a particular attraction that anyone who desires to deal with petroleum merchandise in extra of 500-litre storage, is required to acquire a licence. Our licensing process contains going by what your tools is, the gap, hazards, procedures and every thing.”
Ukoha inspired the operators to additionally reap the benefits of the evolving alternatives within the fuel worth chain, by positioning their power must embrace fuel derivatives.
He outlined the derivatives to incorporate Liquefied Pure Fuel, Liquefied Petroleum Fuel, Compressed Pure Fuel, Autogas, propane and butane, including that investing in these would assist hedge towards future international uncertainties that would come up from the provision of petrol and diesel.
Okoha mentioned the authority’s 12 gazetted rules had outlined the licensing regime, procedures and requirements for dealing with petroleum merchandise, which when breached posed elevated dangers.
Earlier, the authority’s Chief Govt Officer, Farouk Ahmed, mentioned the Federal Authorities had put in place numerous initiatives and coverage frameworks together with the Nationwide Fuel Enlargement Programme and the Decade of Fuel Programme to deepen the usage of fuel in Nigeria.
“It’s our hope that this engagement will create the mandatory consciousness and make the compelling case for trade operators to foster a compliance tradition, which alone ensures safer and sustainable services,” Faouk, who was represented by the Govt Director, Well being, Security, Atmosphere and Neighborhood, NMDPRA, Mustapha Lamorde, acknowledged.
He defined that the Midstream and Downstream Fuel Infrastructure Fund, as contained within the Petroleum Business Act 2021, would catalyse fuel investments, including that efforts being made in fuel enlargement had been at present yielding outcomes, although extra collaborations had been wanted to enhance home fuel utilisation.