The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said that having a tank farm set aside specifically for its members to distribute petroleum from Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical will be more advantageous.

It stated that possessing a tank farm of one's own would enable the product to be distributed effortlessly throughout all the corners of Nigeria.

In an interview with the New Telegraph over the weekend, IPMAN John Kekeocha, the National Welfare Officer, said that the association, through its President, Abubakar Shettima Magandi, was already in discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) over the implementation of the plan.

Kekeocha said, “IPMAN has had several meetings with NNPC Ltd. The President, Alhaji Shettima Magandi, has had meetings with NNPC Ltd on how to get bulk supply from NNPC Ltd in such a way that we will have our own tank farm, which is in serious progress.

He said that the main reason for this is that IPMAN, which has the most stores nationwide, will be able to sell and spread this product easily if NNPC Ltd is going to receive a mass supply.

Petrol price to drop

He expressed optimism that Dangote petrol's exorbitant fuel pump price would finally drop, “We will buy from NNPC Ltd because we believe that it will be cheaper and easier for IPMAN.”

Kekeocha said, “Dangote has just started production, so the cost of production will possibly be a little bit higher, but as time goes on, their cost of production will be getting lower and lower until a reasonable price is fixed, which will make it more comfortable for Nigerians.

“There is one thing Nigerians need to understand, or they fail to neglect. With the deregulation of the downstream and the removal of subsidy, it means that the market or the downstream, the buying and production of petroleum products, is not free for all. Therefore, anybody doing it is doing it as a private business.