The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to embark on a strike over the non-payment of over N100 billion in bridging claims owed to its members by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
In a communiqué released on Monday, February 24, 2025, by the Depot Chairmen of IPMAN, the marketers expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in payment, despite repeated assurances from the NMDPRA.
The communiqué, signed by the Chairman of the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhassan, stated that the NMDPRA had made several commitments to settle the debts but had continuously failed to fulfill them.
“One of those promises was made by the NMDPRA at a stakeholders’ meeting convened on the eve of the last strike action declared by NARTO. At that meeting, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) listed this same IPMAN bridging claim as part of their demands before the strike action would be called off.
“The NMDPRA promised to offset the bridging claims within 40 days, even in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Ajayi. However, 40 days have now turned into months, with no hope of our payment,”* the statement read.
Depot Shutdowns Worsen Fuel Supply Challenges
The depot owners stated that the unpaid claims have forced nine major depots in northern Nigeria—Jos, Gusau, Minna, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola, and Maiduguri—to shut down operations, exacerbating fuel supply challenges in the region.
Marketers Facing Severe Economic Hardship
IPMAN lamented the devastating economic impact of the unpaid debts on its members, citing widespread business closures, staff retrenchments, and even reported fatalities.
The communiqué highlighted that many marketers have lost their businesses to commercial banks due to loan defaults directly linked to the unpaid bridging claims.
Additionally, IPMAN accused the NMDPRA of imposing “abnormal levies” on marketers, including a controversial 5% commission on petrol station sales.
“When has the NMDPRA turned itself into a real estate agency, collecting commissions on the sale of retail petrol outlets?” the statement queried.
Fuel Scarcity Imminent as IPMAN Plans Collective Action
IPMAN warned that if the government fails to intervene promptly, it would collaborate with its sister organizations, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and NARTO, to take collective action, including withdrawing tankers from loading petroleum products.
“But in view of their constant refusal, we have therefore decided to liaise with our sister organizations, the PTD and NARTO, in order to take collective action in due course.
“As members of IPMAN, it is important to state that we also own a sizeable number of petroleum tankers driven by the PTD, and we may be forced to withdraw our tankers from loading petroleum products to enforce the immediate payment of our bridging and NTA claims,”* the association warned.
The association also called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the matter.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu to fully intervene in these prolonged disputes… We will not hesitate to take immediate action if our demands are not met, beginning from today, Monday, February 24, 2025,” it added.
A disruption in tanker movement or the suspension of loading activities at depots could lead to nationwide fuel shortages. Past disputes between petroleum marketers, transporters, and regulatory authorities have often resulted in supply crises.
