Nigerians are urging the federal government to conduct new tests to verify the quality of petrol sold at filling stations across the country. This comes after a viral video alleged that petrol from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) does not last long in fuel tanks. Despite this, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) maintained that NNPC's fuel meets industry standards.
The NNPC dismissed the claims in the viral video, stating that the petrol it sells does not have a high burn rate. According to NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, the company responded to the video, which suggested that NNPC petrol quickly burned out when used in generators. The video showed a comparison where a litre of Dangote petrol, purchased from the MRS filling station in Alapere, Lagos, lasted 30 minutes in a generator, while NNPC petrol from Ojodu Berger only lasted 17 minutes. The NNPC, however, clarified that the fuel at the Ojodu station was sourced from the Dangote refinery, which was later contested by refinery officials.
In response to the claims, NNPC rejected the allegations, calling the video misleading and based on unverified, amateur research. They further emphasized that a significant portion of their fuel in Lagos comes from the Dangote Refinery, which adheres to strict industry standards to ensure quality.
Many Nigerians, especially on social media, have called for an investigation into the claims made in the video, with some questioning why NNPC continues to source fuel from the Dangote refinery when the Port Harcourt refinery is operational. They have also urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council and NNPC to conduct similar experiments to assess the burn rate of NNPC's petrol.
Some social media users debated the accuracy of the video, pointing out the possibility of other variables affecting the test results, such as differences between the two generators used. However, many others shared their personal experiences, claiming that the fuel from MRS stations lasts longer than NNPC's.
In support of NNPC, PETROAN has strongly refuted the claims of substandard fuel, stating that extensive testing by independent laboratories confirms that NNPC's fuel meets industry standards. These tests cover critical factors like flash point, density, viscosity, sulfur content, and water content, all of which were found to meet or exceed regulatory requirements.
PETROAN encouraged healthy competition in the industry and advised content creators to be responsible when sharing information that could affect public perception. The association expressed confidence in the quality of NNPC’s petroleum products, noting that the NNPC adheres to strict industry regulations.
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