Kerosene Scarcity: Marketer Blames NNPC

An independent petroleum marketer has blamed the current kerosene scarcity in the country on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) because it is the sole importer of the product.

The source, a notable independent marketer of petroleum products, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that, for now, the NNPC alone could not import kerosene to meet the demand of Nigerians.

“We will continue to experience artificial scarcity of kerosene and hike in its price; adulteration of the commodity will also persist.”

The source said that the hardship in getting kerosene could continue until the importation of the product is liberalised.

According to him, kerosene importation should be done the way some marketers are being allowed to bring in petrol.

The source said that less than 5 million litres of kerosene, instead of 12 million litres, were distributed to the marketers of the product in the last two months.

He said that it was reasonable for government to begin to consider giving licence to independent marketers to import kerosene.

Attempts to get the Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs of the NNPC, Ms. Tumini Green, for her comment did not yield results.

NAN reports that a litre of kerosene sells for between N120 and N135 in most filling stations in Lagos, as against the government regulated price of N50 per litre.