By:Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
The pump price of Premium Motor Spirit has risen to between N170 and N175 per litre in Maiduguri and its environs as against N162.
However, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN blamed the development on non-availability of the product in depots in the zones.
The adjustment o have been effected in spite of assurances by the NNPC that there was no plan to increase pump price of petrol.
A filling station operator, Chiroma Kadai says the product was not available in private tank farms, adding that the NNPC was not selling.
He blamed the increase on scarcity and called on NNPC to address supply inadequacies.
Speaking to our reporter, one of the senior member of IMPAN confirmed that members under the zone where selling petrol at between N170 and N175 per litre.
According to him loading cost at depots has increased from N149 to N163 per litre excluding loading cost and transportation. He said the current hike was due to supply shortage, adding that marketers were only responding to price variations.
He said that the problem was peculiar because there was no functional petroleum depot in the zone and that members relied on Lagos, Warri, Calabar and Port Harcourt to source petrol.
IPMAN wishes to appeal to NNPC to ensure sufficient supply of products.
As their members are buying petrol at the depot at N164, they load for N1 and pay transportation of N6 per litre.