Lagos – The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said on Wednesday that kerosene users would soon get the product following its deregulation.
The National Operation Controller of the association, Mr Mike Osatuyi, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Osatuyi said that marketers would begin to import kerosene to flood the market since the government had stopped subsidising it.
He added that the sale of the product would be determined by the market forces.
He said the government at the beginning of the year removed subsidy on kerosene and encouraged the marketers to import and sell to the public.
“We are now encouraged to source for foreign exchange and import and sell at prices as allowed by market forces and in the next few weeks I assure you the market will be flooded with kerosene.
“Nigerians should be optimistic of getting kerosene at affordable price in all the nooks and crannies; both in the cities and the hinterland,’’ he assured.
Osatuyi said that the intervention scheme introduced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) late December went a long way to stabilise the supply system.
He observed that supply was still in deficit considering the growing demand for the product, adding that NNPC was yet to meet with the growing demand.
“We will want the NNPC to boost supply to deliver products to members who are eager to sell at the new price regime,’’ he said.
The IPMAN boss blamed the current price disparity on the inability of IPMAN members to source products from the NNPC.
He added that once a product was made available to members, the issue of disparity in pump prices would be eliminated.
On upcoming refineries being executed by private companies, Osatuyi applauded the initiative and expressed the hope that their coming on stream would reduce fuel import by the government.
“The Dangote refinery which we believe will begin production by 2018 is a big project that will also enable the country to export refined products, create jobs and improve foreign exchange earnings,’’ he said.
The controller also said that the refinery project proposed by the association was receiving the desired attention.
He said the leadership of the association was in high level discussions with interested parties, including foreign partners to ensure the realisation of the project.
“We are looking at locating the refineries in Kogi and Bayelsa states, but the capacity and other strategic decisions that will facilitate its immediate take-off are being discussed,” he said.
