NNPC names MRS, Emadeb-consortium, Oando, Duke Oil as culprits of contaminated fuel
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has named some top industry players as culprits who imported about one million litres of adulterated fuel into Nigeria.
Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari said on Wednesday that investigation has revealed the presence of Methanol in four petrol cargoes imported by MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando, and Duke Oil.
Kyari, who disclosed this during a media briefing yesterday, however, said he has since ordered the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine).
It was also gathered yesterday that the NNPC has asked oil trading firms to embark on an emergency supply of petrol to replace cargoes that were rejected because of their poor quality, Reuters quoted two sources as having disclosed yesterday.
Apparently disturbed by the development, the federal government yesterday ordered an investigation into the bad fuel that had damaged the engines of some vehicles.
In addition to disrupting the country’s fuel supply chain, the product which led to the damage of several cars, the NNPC disclosed, was imported from Antwerp in Belgium.
Speaking in Abuja, Kyari, argued that petrol brought into Nigeria usually does not include the test for the level of methanol content.
The NNPC helmsman maintained that cargoes’ quality certificates issued at the loading port in Belgium, by AmSpec Belgium, indicated that the product complied with Nigerian specifications.
Furthermore, he said the NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem, and G&G conducted tests before discharge, which showed that the cargo also met the country’s standard.
“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 (NMDPRA) 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 of methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors,” he said.
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