Nigeria Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA has granted licenses to six firms, to import premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol, into the country effective from July.
This is in continuation of the full deregulation of the downstream sector and in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Until this approval, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has been the sole importer of the product. The PIA stipulates that no individual or firm can import more than 30 percent of the country’s total domestic need of petrol.
Although the NMDPRA boss, Farouk Ahmed, did not mention the names of the firms, he was however emphatic that Dangote Group, which recently inaugurated its refinery, is not among the six companies licensed for fuel import.
Speaking, the NMDPRA boss said anyone can apply for importation to get access to the port as the Authority is open to all those interested in importing
