PPPRA DEBUNKS PLAN INCREASE IN PETROL PRICE SAYS GUIDING PRICES WAS ONLY INDICATIVE OF CURRENT MARKET TRENDS
Following a nationwide uproar generated by the PPPRA template posted on its website Thursday night announcing an increase in the pump price of petrol from N186 to N212 per litre. The Fuel price regulatory body has taken down a link holding the new prices of petrol.
The controversial template was previously accessible here: http://pppra.gov.ng/pms-guiding-price-for-march-2021/.
State –owned oil giant NNPC has also raced to Twitter to insist that fuel price would not go up immediately, a claim that drew widespread mockery as Nigerians said they remember the government similar false statements in the past.
The regulatory body [PPPRA] in a statement by its executive secretay Abdulkadir Saidu on Friday debunked the plan increase in the price of the Premium Motor Spirit PMS ‘The attention of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has been drawn to speculations about the increased pump price of PMS.
The PPPRA by this release wishes to state clearly that the Guiding Prices posted on our website was only indicative of current market trends and do not translate to any increase in pump price of PMS. However, publications by the media to this effect have been misconstrued and thus misleading.
The Agency wishes to remind the general public of the introduction of the Market-Based Pricing Regime for PMS Regulation 2020 as gazetted by the Federal Government. Based on this regulation, prices are expected to be determined by market realities in line with the dictates of market forces.
One of the conditions for the implementation of the Market-Based Pricing Regime for PMS Regulation 2020 is the monthly release of Guiding Price to reflect current market fundamentals.
The PPPRA in line with its mandate to maintain constant surveillance over all key indices relevant to pricing policy, monitors market trends on a daily basis to determine Guiding Prices.
The Agency is not unaware of the challenges with the supply of PMS due to some concerns leading NNPC to be the sole importer of PMS. PPPRA is also mindful of the current discussion going on between the government and the Organised Labour on the deregulation policy. While consultation with relevant stakeholders is ongoing, PPPRA does not fix or announce prices and therefore there is no price increase. The current PMS price is being maintained while consultations are being concluded.
Even though market fundamentals for PMS in the past few months indicated upward price trends, the pump price has remained the same and we are currently monitoring the situation across retail outlets nationwide.
While assuring the public of adequate products supply as the average PMS Day-Sufficiency as of March 11, 2021 is over 35 days, the PPPRA pledges to continue to perform its statutory function in ensuring that the downstream sector remains vibrant as well as support both government and members of the public.’The statement added
