JUST IN: NNPC Counters MRS, Reveals Names Of Marketer, Three Others Who Imported Contaminated Fuel Into Nigeria  

Trixx NG reports the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has countered MRS Oil Nigeria Plc as regards the recent importation of adulterated Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, into the country.

Recall a video made rounds during the week showing one MRS’s staff discharging contaminated fuel into a plastic bottle.

Following the backlash against the company, MRS on Wednesday in a press release  revealed that NNPC is the sole supplier of Petroleum Motor Spirit(PMS) in the country and that the corporation through its trading arm, Duke Oil imported the fuel.

The company also denied any involvement in the imports of the adulterated products, as it explained that methanol was prohibited in petrol imported into Nigeria.

In contrast to the position of MRS, NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, however, named MRS and three other dealers as the firms that imported the contaminated products into Nigeria.

A speech shared to selected broadcast media quoted Kyari as saying, “On January 20, 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.

“NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in Four (4) PMS cargoes imported by the following DSDP suppliers namely:

“Importer vessel name load port,

1. MRS MT Bow Pioneer LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium; 2. Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium MT Tom Hilde; 3. Oando MT Elka Apollon; 4. Duke Oil MT Nord Gainer.”

He said cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicated that the gasoline complied with Nigerian specification.

Kyari said NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge also showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specification.

“As a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority 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 per cent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.”

He noted that in order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, NNPC had ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck and marine).

“All defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC will work with the authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations,” Kyari stated.