Sharp practices in the downstream sector of the Nigerian petroleum industry have continued to have a heavy toll on end users as many fillings stations selling Premium Motor Spirit also known as petrol in the country have resorted to under-dispensing of the product.
The nefarious activity perpetrated by petroleum marketers has gone unnoticed by many motorists as they drive into the filling stations to fill their tanks.
For every ten liters sold to a motorist, it is not unlikely that he drives away with less than seven litres due to the adjusted meters by the filling stations. The implication is that the petroleum marketer gains additional three liters.
But to hike their profit margin, investigations revealed that the marketers adjust their fuel pump meters. For instance, ten liters of fuel will cost N970 at the rate of N97 per liter. But with the adjusted meter, motorists pay the actual price (N970) but drives away with about six liters which amounts to N582. So there is a difference of N388 which has fraudulently gone to the purse of oil marketers.
To magnify the marketers smooth operation, multiply N388 by the average of 10 million under-dispensed litres out of the 30 million litres of petrol consumed daily in the country and what you get is N3.8 billion loss to motorists.
Nigeria’s petroleum regulator, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR,saddled with the responsibility of regulating, monitoring and enforcing the laws in the sector, used the Seraphin Can to expose filling stations involved in the nefarious act in Lagos recently.
The ten-liter Seraphin Can is used by the DPR to ascertain the exact dispensing meter measurement of filling stations. When filled to the level of ten liters, dispensing meters that have been adjusted will show above ten liters on the display board. When this occurs, the filling station is shut by DPR officials.
DPR said over 500 filling stations had been shut for under-dispensing and other related offences.
According to the regulatory body, other offences committed by filling stations include compromise of safety standards and lack of proper storage facilities.
The DPR Manager, Downstream, Lagos Zone, Mr. Kunle Soyebo, said the purpose of the recent monitoring which yielded the filling stations under-dispensing was to ensure strict adherence to rules and regulations in the downstream sector.
“The exercise, which you have just witnessed, is carried out by our men twice every week. Any filling station operator that fails to comply with rules and regulation will have his licence revoked,” Soyebo said.
“For the affected stations, we have issued them letters to report to our office and, if they fail to show up, their licences will be revoked. So far, we have been able to shut over 500 filling stations across the country. These stations will remain shut until they comply with our rules and regulations.”
During the exercise, it was, however, discovered that there are some good guys in the business who adhere to the rules on the dispensing of petroleum products.
Major oil marketers were not found wanting as they maintained a clean sheet in their operations while their names were engraved in the good books of the DPR. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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. . .am happy Lagos is working, this scam is common among all the filling stations in Akoka, Somolu and Bariga expecially, also they collect Keg fee. DPR, Pls come and help us here in Bariga, we r being cheated in d real sense without impunity.
ReplyDeleteStart from mobil filling station
ReplyDeleteThose ones are PHD holders in the game. I only buy from them when there's no other option.
DeleteNa Lie Major Marketers are complicit too, Esspecially Mobil. One in Jackande Lekki and another one just after obanikoro (before anthony).
ReplyDeleteBuy your fuel on weekdays at Total during office hours. Inspectors do spot checks. Thanks for the tip on Mobil Lekki, avoid Mobil Gbagada.
ReplyDeleteMore spot checks should be made and the culprits shamed and exposed
ReplyDeleteIt also happens in Abuja too, not only Lagos!
ReplyDeleteI bought a keg of petrol at #3, 038 at Mobil on Airport Road Lagos The same keg was filled for #2, 780 at Conoil opposite that Mobile
ReplyDeleteQuite easy to detect cheating filling stations. Pick a particular pump at your regular station, buy fuel in a 4 litter jerry can. That should help you detect if you are getting the right quantity. Stick to that particular pump, as other pumps in the same station might be tampered with.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate ur good work, pls u guys really need to com to surulere,total on ojuelegba-lawanson road,all d filling station along dt way,mobil along ijesha road also, pls do sumtin quick they are just cheating us.Well done
ReplyDeleteSometimes, its filling station attendant causes this. I was involved about two weeks ago when i wanted buy petrol in one filling station then one Okada rider just bought less than three litres, instead to rubbed and start my own afreshed the petrol attendant just continued which means he cheated me with less than three litre. Finally, not all filling station attendants are doing it!
ReplyDeleteMost fillings station in oyo state are selling at the rate of 100 per litre and also not up to a litre
ReplyDeleteThe attendants in Abuja are merciless,twice I have caught them cheating fellow motorists and I had to blow their whistle.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to ensure the pumps are on Zero before buying fuel, these thieves do not adjust the pumps to zero especially if the car in front of you buys a token sum of 1-2,000 fuel.
Nigerians are our worst enemies, we keep blaming the government for our woes when we are the problem.
DPR please Visit Oyo State you will see more of filling stations involved in the nefarious act perpetrated by petroleum marketers.
ReplyDeleteFor travellers along seme/badagry -axis & badagry/ seme, come to TIMMY NAT filling station in seme, d best in ajara, badagry and seme.
ReplyDeleteThey should come to Minna too where d act is perpetrated with ease.
ReplyDeleteI stopped buying fuel at mobil stations when I bought fuel at maryland and the One close to omole on lagos ibadan express. The attenders would tell u there is power failure while they are selling and ended up buying 6200 naira to fill the 4700 naira capacity tank. They are cheats and DPR should do something about mobil stations urgently.
ReplyDeleteAll Mrs filling station do,is so obvious.for Mobil gbagada they are do afraid to sell in cans,why?
ReplyDeleteAt the Bonny island NNPC floating mega station, located in a creek off Bonny beach, its a different game all together. While the normal official price of 97 naira is displayed on the dispenser buyers actually pay 5 naira more per litre. Before selling the attendants will tell you koro koro that you must pay 5 naira more per litre, without any explanation. After dispensing they will now use calculator to calculate the bill to pay. Its obvious where that 5 naira per every litre dispensed is going.
ReplyDeleteThe DPR must come to our aid as that filling station is just an avenue for few individuals amassing wealth at the expense of majority whom its meant to serve.
Furthermore, the location of the filling station in the creeks makes it inaccessible to most people. One has to charter a boat for 500 naira to reach there. No wonder all the fuel end up in the hands of black marketers who in turn sell exorbitantly at 180 naira per litre.
The NNPC should be made to replace that filling station by building another one on land. Its not serving the intended purpose.
This is anoda scam they carry out,especially Mobil, they make sure u are nt looking at the pump and dey start selling from may be the previous sell.
ReplyDeletepls come over to abulegba(along ekoro road).so many filling stations there are cheats.i can name about twoof them for you
ReplyDeleteDelta State is worst hit, and motorists can do nothing about it. Filing stations are having a field day, everyday as DPR turns its back on the State. The State government seems helpless, and has left motorists in the State to their fate.
ReplyDeleteDPR please cm to our aid at parmi joint in shibiri lagos state. They cheat us a lot. One keg of 4 litre parmi is now N600 and e no dey full. Pls help us oooh!
ReplyDeleteThsnks conoil is best normal pump rainoil is good ytk is worst. total fuel burns fast
ReplyDeleteThsnks conoil is best normal pump rainoil is good ytk is worst. total fuel burns fast
ReplyDeleteDis DPR self, are they not in every states? I tink most of their staffs do collect bribe frm most filling stations to cover them up. They should come to our aid in makurdi. Advice to motorists, make sure u focus ur attention at d meter cos most of this pump attendants are criminals and cheats.
ReplyDeleteDPR u re traying now but when ur own share enter ur hand ego b another story again,nigerians let's help ourselfs by checkmating the activities of d filling stations
ReplyDeleteThe Mobil Filling Station between Obanikoro and Anthony is the headquarters of fraud. A special unit of anti-fraud from the DPR, Police EFCC and even NDLEA should visit that place quickly before customers take laws into their hands and cause maximum havoc to property and life.
ReplyDeletekwara state is the wost in that act
ReplyDeleteAnother fraud that is perpetrated by the fuel Attendants is through programming. This happens when the Attendant programmed the amount of fuel you want to buy, say N2,000 petrol, and in the course of dispensing to your vehicle tank,they will cleverly pressed the 'burt' by the machine side where the dispensing nozzle is hanged. The moment it is pressed, the meter reading will automatically read the exact amount programmed irrespective of the amount dispensed into your tank. If only N1,200 is dispensed before they acted, you would have been cheated by the sum of N800! It happens all the time at Mobil Station along Iyana-Ipaja to Agege road.
ReplyDeletePort Harcourt is worse and DPR is doing nothing about it. There is this independent marketer on stadium road(can't remember the name but seems to be the only filling station near Atrium) for 10lts, you get as low as 5ltrs. Others are Mobil at Rumuobiakani, Oando on Abuloma road. the worst part is DPR is doing nothing about.
ReplyDeleteOando petrol stations are terrible. They adulterate their diesel by mixing with kerosine and even cheat on each liter. It is so bad that the diesel spoils engines. How can a business succeed when the main tool ( diesel ) is already setting them up to fail.
ReplyDelete