Nigeria faces an impending fuel crisis as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw services nationwide over the federal government’s failure to settle N100 billion in unpaid bridging claims.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum Chairman, Yahaya Alhasan, accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of reneging on its promise—made 40 days ago in the presence of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu—to clear the debt.
According to Alhasan, several northern depots, including those in Jos, Gusau, Minna, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola, and Maiduguri, have shut down operations due to the unpaid claims. He also condemned the imposition of a 5% levy on petrol marketers by NMDPRA.
“If our money is not paid within seven days, we will withdraw our services across the nation,” Alhasan declared, citing severe financial distress among marketers, business closures, job losses, and asset seizures by banks.
IPMAN, alongside the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), is prepared to halt petroleum product transportation if the government does not act.
The association has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene before the crisis escalates, warning that fuel distribution across Nigeria will be severely affected if their demands are not met by February 24, 2025.
