Fuel import drops as 26 vessels sail to Lagos before mid-March

Petroleum products imports into Nigeria, slumped as just one of the 26 vessels expected into the Lagos ports between now and March 11, is conveying premium motor spirit (PMS).

Latest Shipping Position released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and obtained by media source yesterday, showed that only one vessel (MV Joyce), is conveying PMS, otherwise known as petrol, while 25 other ships are laden with various products.

Other products in the vessels include; Fish, salt, bulk sugar, bulk wheat, ethanol, gypsum and general cargoes.

Besides, four motor tankers laden with PMS and Jet A1 are currently awaiting berth as Lagos pilotage district, while 11 motor vessels carrying empty containers with only two laden with general cargoes are also awaiting berth at the port.

Run-off to the general elections, the last two months had witnessed high importation of petrol through Lagos, as 30 fuel-laden vessels called early this month, while 23 others came in late January.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) figures showed that Nigerians consume an average of 53.2 million litres daily.

Recall that the Corporation had promised to meet with the December 2019 deadline proposed by the Federal Government to end the importation of refined petrol into the country.

The development is expected to pave way for local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, to produce most of the petrol consumed in the domestic market.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had earlier disclosed Nigeria would exit importation of petrol and totally depend on its own refined product, adding that a steering committee headed by him and others had been constituted to fine-tune the process.

NNPC, in a recent report stated: “NNPC is intensifying efforts towards the rehabilitation of the refineries to meet December 2019 target of ending fuel importation.”