NMDPRA seeks upgrade of petroleum products storage facilities in Apapa jetty

(L-R) Mr Adeyemi Adetunji, Group Executive Director, Downstream, NNPC Ltd., Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and Mr Olumide Adeosun, Chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) during Ahmed’s inspection visit to Apapa Jetty in Lagos on Thursday.

By Solomon Asowata

Lagos, Feb. 3, 2022 (NAN) Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has called for the upgrade of petroleum products storage facilities in Apapa Jetty, Lagos.

Ahmed said this would help enhance safety and smooth distribution of petroleum products across the country.

He made the call on Thursday after an inspection visit to some facilities operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN).

Ahmed, who was accompanied by Mr Adeyemi Adetunji, Group Executive Director, Downstream, NNPC, inspected the storage facilities of Ardova Plc, TotalEnergies and OVH Energy Marketing Company.

Ahmed noted that Lagos was one of the key areas through which Nigeria receives imports of petroleum products.

According to him, Apapa is also one of the major facilities for offloading of vessels and also trucking out petroleum products to other parts of the country.

He said: “This visit is in line with our oversight responsibility to see the reality on ground.

“There have been a lot of complaints about facilities being dilapidated and need some upgrade for efficient delivery of petroleum products.

“There is a lot of work to be done to upgrade these facilities. We went round some of the marketers facilities and we saw that most of them have not been upgraded in 20 to 25 years.

“We also saw that some marketers are upgrading their facilities and there are a lot of expansion projects going on in terms of storage facilities for petroleum products and Liquefied Petroleum Gas, as well as, truck out facilities.

“So, it is very good to see the upgrade in those areas but generally speaking, the jetty need a lot of work to be done in order to meet up with the new safety requirements.”

Ahmed said the authority would be having quarterly meetings with the marketers to review areas of concern that requires improvement.

On his part, Mr Clement Isong, Executive Secretary, MOMAN, thanked Ahmed for visiting the facilities to gather first hand information on the challenges facing the marketers.

He said: “This is the sort of regulator we have been looking for.

“The one that supports us, that supports our business, works with us, feels our pain and does what he can do to help us.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)