*As NNPC GMD explains why bad product was brought in undetected
*Vows to take action against them
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Result of the concerted effort by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited – to get to the root of what happened, why, where, when and how adulterated fuel was imported into the country and who the importers are – is out.
The DEFENDER reports that the situation had led to shortage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Limited, Malam Mele Kyari, who said the bad product was discovered with four of the importers and named them as MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando, and Duke Oil, apologised to Nigerians for the inconveniences and thanked them for their patience.
Malam Kyari listed the vessels they used saying, MRS used MT Bow Pioneer, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium imported the product via the vessel called MT Tom Hilde, Oando used the vessel MT Elka Apollon, while the fourth importer, Duke Oil, he said imported its PMS using MT Nord Gainer.
Revealing this Wednesday night in Abuja, the NNPC boss explained that the adulterated product from Belgium in Europe got into Nigeria undetected and gave the reason it was not detected on both ends; load point in the country of source and at the point of entry here.
The PMS, he said, had been imported into the country by four importers from Antwerp in Belgium with quality inspectors failing to detect the high level of Methanol it contained, first at the point of import in Belgium and at the point of arrival in Nigeria.
“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 methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors,” Malam Kyari told journalists at the briefing.
The NNPC boss did not give the date of import but disclosed that the NNPC found out about the situation late in January.
“On 20th January 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium,” he said.
“NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in Four (4) PMS cargoes.”
The NNPC GMD explained that the fact that the PMS contained Methanol was not detected by checks because the quality checks do not include checks for Methanol percentage.
He said, “Cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicate that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.
“The 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 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 Percent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.”
Mele Kyari, who apologised and thanked Nigerians for their patience over the unfortunate development, assured the nation that the NNPC was sourcing additional cargoes to meet PMS demands and that “to prevent the distribution of the petrol, we have ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine)”.
As for the suppliers of the affected products, the NNPC boss said they had been “put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC will work with the authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations”.
Read the full text of his briefing below:
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for joining us at this press conference.
1. We wish to update our customers and the public on the ongoing efforts by NNPC and other stakeholders to resolve the issues generated by the unfortunate supply and discharge of methanol blended gasoline (PMS) in some Nigerian depots.
2. On 20th January 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.
3. 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
4. Cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicate that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.
5. The NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge also showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specification.
6. 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 has met Nigerian specification.
7. 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 methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.
8. In order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, we have ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine).
9. 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.
10. NNPC wishes to reassure Nigerians that we are currently sourcing additional cargoes to ensure product sufficiency.
