 has issued a warning of a possible shutdown due to the failure of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to settle a N100 billion debt owed to its members.){kind=link}
The Depot Chairmen Forum of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has issued a warning of a possible shutdown due to the failure of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to settle a N100 billion debt owed to its members.
In a statement signed by the forum’s chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan, the group accused NMDPRA of reneging on an agreement reached last year regarding the payment of outstanding bridging and NTA claims.
Expressing frustration over the prolonged delay, the forum alleged that the regulatory body had deliberately ignored its demands despite earlier assurances.
“We are extremely frustrated that one year after we requested the payment of over N100 billion owed to our members, the management of NMDPRA has continued to neglect our demand, despite making clear promises to settle the debt,” the statement read.
The forum recalled that during a stakeholders’ meeting convened to address a previous strike threat by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), NMDPRA had pledged to clear the debt within 40 days. The commitment was made in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Ajayi.
However, months have passed without any payment.
As a result, operations at nine northern depots—located in Jos, Gusau, Minna, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola, and Maiduguri—have been completely disrupted due to the unpaid claims.
Alhassan further emphasized that the funds in question were deducted from marketers at the point of payment for petroleum products to cover their bridging allowances.
He lamented that the prolonged non-payment has led to severe financial distress, resulting in business closures, staff retrenchments, and even the deaths of some members.
Additionally, many marketers have lost their business premises to commercial banks due to loan defaults caused by the delayed payments.
With tensions rising, IPMAN has warned that if the issue remains unresolved, a total shutdown of operations may become inevitable.