The Depot Chairmen Forum of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has issued a stern warning to shut down operations over the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s (NMDPRA) failure to pay a N100 billion debt owed to its members.
In a statement signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan, IPMAN accused NMDPRA of reneging on an agreement reached last year to settle the debt, which includes bridging and National Transport Allowance (NTA) claims.
“We are extremely frustrated that one year after our last demand, the NMDPRA has deliberately ignored our request despite clear promises to pay,” Alhassan stated.
He recalled that during a stakeholders’ meeting—attended by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi—NMDPRA pledged to settle the debt within 40 days. However, months have passed without payment, leaving IPMAN members struggling financially.
The crisis has led to the grounding of nine Northern depots, including those in **Jos, Gusau, Minna, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola, and Maiduguri**. Alhassan lamented that many members have suffered severe financial hardship, including business closures, staff layoffs, and bank takeovers of their premises.
Beyond the unpaid debt, Alhassan criticized NMDPRA’s introduction of excessive levies, including a controversial **5% commission on petrol station sales**, calling it an exploitative and unacceptable practice.
He warned that unless the debt is settled immediately, IPMAN, in collaboration with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) union, will take decisive action, including **withdrawing petroleum tankers from fuel distribution nationwide**.
“We urge President Bola Tinubu to intervene immediately. If our demands are not met, we will not hesitate to take necessary actions starting from Monday, February 24, 2025,” Alhassan declared.
A potential strike by IPMAN could severely disrupt fuel supply across the country, exacerbating an already tense economic situation.
