Kachikwu, NNPC, PPPRA, differ on average daily consumption of petrol

The controversy surrounding the daily average volume of  petrol consumed in the country is yet to be over as there is clear 10 million litres  difference between the figures being reported by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulator (PPPRA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Even the official report from the office of the minister of state for Petroleum is at variance with the ones above. The figure contained in petroleum periscope which is released monthly from the office of the minster indicates that the daily average consumption of petrol is 52.80 million litres. Two million litres higher that of PPPRA

BusinessDay investigation  revealed that while  the  PPPRA in  its daily report  indicates that  the  average daily consumption figure is  approximately 50 (49,500,000)million litres.  The NNPC on the other hand stated 40.5 million litres in its most recent report.

The discrepancy  according  to  industry  operators may not be unconnected with the obvious lack of synergy between  the  two  government agencies and under the same  ministry  to reconcile the figures they collate  from the various  sources of  import of petrol into the  country.

An industry operator that spoke to BusinessDay on the condition of anonymity said that the figure given by PPPRA  may be more accurate than what NNPC has.

According to him, PPPRA capture all the volume of petrol  brought  into the country while NNPC most  the time loses track of  what various  companies  brought  into  the  country because  its concentration is on is on what the Pipeline and  Products  Marketing  Company( PPMC).

The PPPRA report further showed  that the country  consumption of other products  are in  this  order:  Automotive gas oil  (AGO)11 million litres, Dual purpose Kerosene (DPK) which is also  called House Hold  Kerosene (HHK) 2.5 million  litres and Aviation  Turbine Kerosene (ATK) 1.4 million litres. These figures are based on what is evacuated or truck out from the various deports across the country.

 Again, these figures contradict what was obtained from the office of the minister of state for Petroleum which are as follow: AGO-10.34 million litres, ATK 2.4 million litres and DPK 1.54 million litres

 The NNPC stated in its report that in the downstream sector, it has continued to ensure increased of petrol supply and effective distribution across the country.

 In May, 2018, 1.19billion litres of petrol were supplied by it and this is translating to 40.59mn Liters/day to sustain seamless distribution of Petroleum Products and zero fuel queue across the nation.

“The Corporation continued to monitor petrol evacuation figures from depots across the nation, and engaged where necessary the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) through existing Joint Monitoring Team. In May 2018, pipeline break stood at 82, of which 20 pipeline points either failed to be welded or ruptured/clamped. Thus 62 pipeline points were vandalized as against 125 recorded last month”.

NNPC in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority is working towards ensuring seamless reception of petroleum products into the various ports across the country. The corporation has proposed the establishment of a one-stop-shop at the ports with all agencies relevant to the clearing of petroleum products vessels to reduce delay and demurrage that usually result in under-recovery for the corporation.