Fuel stations under-dispensing customers risk sanctions – FG
The Federal Government has warned that fuel stations found under-dispensing petroleum products to customers risk sanctions, including revocation of their operating licences, as authorities intensify efforts to ensure accurate fuel measurement nationwide.
The warning was issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which directed all retail outlet operators to immediately calibrate and verify their fuel dispensers and totalizers to ensure customers receive the full quantity of products paid for.
In a statement on Tuesday, the NMDPRA said it had observed incidents of under-dispensing of petroleum products at retail outlets across the country, describing the practice as a serious breach of consumer trust that would not be tolerated.
The Authority directed operators to carry out immediate calibration and verification of all dispensing equipment, stressing that the exercise was necessary to guarantee accurate measurement and ensure consumers receive the full value of the petroleum products for which they pay.
It added that it had intensified inspections and enforcement activities nationwide to identify outlets that are under-dispensing products, operating with improperly calibrated equipment or otherwise compromising dispensing accuracy.
According to the regulator, affected outlets will be required to take immediate corrective action, while persistent or serious violations will attract appropriate sanctions in line with existing NMDPRA regulations.
The sanctions, it said, could extend to the revocation of the operating licence of outlets found to have repeatedly or seriously violated the dispensing requirements.
The NMDPRA called on the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) to promptly notify their members of the directive.
The associations were urged to support compliance across the petroleum retail sector and ensure that operators adhere to the required standards for accurate dispensing.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers, promoting transparency and maintaining the integrity of petroleum product transactions across the country.