The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Migandi Garima, has said the association is planning to build modular refineries in Lagos and Cross River states.
Garima who said this while appearing on a live television program on Thursday said the removal of the fuel subsidy by the government necessitated their decision to build the refineries.
He said, “All what they have been saying that there is no subsidy and still they are not saving that amount of money of subsidy. So I think the journey is OK and we too, Independent Petroleum Marketers are making a plan to see that our own refinery has to become a reality.
“We are planning it in two places, one in Lagos for which we have already secured the land. Aggie refinery is there.”
So we are putting all our efforts to see that we start something.
“This has become necessary since the removal of subsidy is ongoing and Dangote refinery is also expected to start functioning very soon. Also, Port Harcourt refinery, is equally expected to commence operation. It’s a modular refinery that we want to establish”, he added.
Garima’s remarks on the planned IPMAN modular refineries came amid speculation that the Nigerian Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited were planning to increase the fuel pump price in the country to N1,200 per litre.
It was reported how the speculation generated uproar among Nigerian netizens on X (previously Twitter). They expressed fear of worse economic hardship should there be any further hike in the pump price of petrol.
An X user, Stes-Giddy, said any further increment of fuel prices by President Bola Tinubu’s administration would affect the country’s small-scale economic sector.
He said, “Guy why you dey go far? 200k ke? There are sales girls and boys who earn less than 50k and they pay rent and transport to the island every day. What of business owners, I sell Chandeliers, I have to run gen from morning to night to display samples to customers.”
Nick’s Pizza said pegging the pump price at N1,200 should be considered as a lack of empathy from the government considering the struggles Nigerians are currently facing to survive.
He said, “You even mentioned 200k, it’s only about 40% (according to stats) who earn that amount or close in this country. A lot of people and family men earn less than that in a month. How does the government expect them to survive.”
“If NNPC can’t manage the petroleum affair of the nation, can they just scrap them off or just privatise the ministry so those who have something to offer can take it over? Do this people really understand the level of hardship Nigerians are going through,” another user, Omotayo said.