‘Importation of substandard lubricants killing local industry’

The illegal importation of substandard lubricants into the country is killing local lubricants while negatively affecting their return on investment, stakeholders at the just concluded 2nd edition of the Nigerian Lubricant Summit have said.

The stakeholders call on both the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to monitor the influx of imported lubricants into the country due to the widely reported cases of substandard lubricants in the market.

“Over 4 billion liters of lubricant is being imported illegally into the country yearly,” said Kasali A.A, manager, hydrocarbon processing plant, Department for Petroleum Resource (DPR), who represented the director of DPR.

“This is killing the local lubricants and their return on investment,” he added.

The stakeholders also stated that there was need for the recycling of lubricant wastes in order to prevent environmental pollution and the threat of used oil to lives.

Jani Ibrahim, chairman, Lubcon International Group,  said, “We need to prevent the country from becoming a dumping ground. Importation of processed lubricants is a big challenge to the sector.

“I think there is a need for us to present a bill to the National Assembly on recycling of used lubricants in the country,” he said.

To address the issue of pollution and recycling of used oil, the stakeholders said there should be public-private partnership investment and consumer education.

“Consumer education is very important. It is the easiest way to reduce environmental pollution and the threat of used oil,” said Kayode Sote, principal partner, Lubeservices Associates.

“Every blending plant should have at least a recycling unit, not only in cutting cost and making profit but also in keeping the environment clean,” he added.

According to the stakeholders, the regulators is not effective enough and are not helping to stop the issue of lubricant waste.  Therefore, the stakeholders placed the responsibility of educating its customers on proper disposal of used oil on lubricant manufacturers, stating  that it should not be left only for the regulators.

“There is need for a template where manufacturers can work with mechanic association on how to dispose used oil,” Taye Williams, managing director, LUBCON said.

“As blenders we should be able to support an independent body to have a receptacle to collect used oil for recycling,” he further said.

Josephine Okojie