…Hints of resuming imports as soon as Dangote refinery comes on stream
The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has reacted to a recent claim by the Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, NNPC, Henry Ikem-Obih, that its members access forex to import products from the Corporation at N305/$1.
Speaking in an interview on the side-lines of the just concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas conference in Abuja, Chairman of MOMAN, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji denounced the claims and explained that “None of MOMAN members were getting foreign exchange at N305 to a dollar for the importation of Premium Motor Spirit which is fuel”.
However, he revealed that MOMAN are only waiting for Dangote refinery to come on stream so that they can resume distribution as importation now is no more feasible due to forex dichotomy created by NNPC against our members.
Giving further insights, Oyebanji, who also the Managing Director of 11Plc (formerly Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc), made it clear that “We are not importing petrol at all but if we want to import Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) or Aviation Turbine Kerosene (aviation fuel), we have to go and buy at N330 or N346.
“I don’t know who is getting it at that 305, so, if NNPC is giving some marketers at that rate, I want to believe it is not a transparent thing. I don’t know who is getting it.
According to him, “If we are getting it at N305 for importation of petrol, we will be importing but we are not getting it; when the scheme started, that was the plan and CBN was the one handling it.
“Eventually, the NNPC took over, and we don’t know who is getting it at N305. So, maybe he can enlighten us by publishing the names of those who are getting it,” he said.
“You can’t compete because the NNPC is bringing everything at N305; so, it is not a level-playing field at all.
“If we are getting forex at 305 may be, we will be able to import but again technically, for the country as a whole does it truly makes sense? In the market, the dollar is being sold at N360,” Oyebanji argued.
