Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has warned petrol station operators that they risk losing their licences if they continue to short-change consumers through under-dispensing of petroleum products.
The regulator issued the warning in a circular released on Tuesday in Abuja, following reports of petrol stations dispensing less fuel than the quantity paid for by customers.
The NMDPRA described under-dispensing as a serious violation of consumer trust and directed all retail outlet operators to immediately inspect, calibrate and verify their dispensing pumps and totalisers.
The authority said the exercise was necessary to ensure that motorists and other consumers receive the exact quantity of petroleum products for which they pay.
“To safeguard the interests of consumers, all retail outlet operators are hereby directed to carry out immediate calibration and verification of all dispensers and totalizers,” the regulator said.
The NMDPRA added that it had intensified inspections and enforcement operations at filling stations across the country to detect outlets involved in under-dispensing or operating with faulty or improperly calibrated equipment.
According to the authority, affected outlets would be required to correct identified faults immediately, while operators found repeatedly violating the directive could face severe sanctions.
“Persistent or serious violations will be subject to appropriate sanctions, up to and including revocation of the outlet’s license, in line with NMDPRA’s regulations,” it warned.
The regulator also directed major industry associations to ensure that their members were informed about the new directive and complied with the requirements.
The associations include the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria.
The NMDPRA said the associations were expected to support efforts to improve compliance and ensure that retail outlets operate within regulatory requirements.
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers, promoting transparency and ensuring accurate transactions in the downstream petroleum sector.
The warning comes amid continuing concerns over fuel prices and the quantity of petrol dispensed to consumers at retail outlets across the country.
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