FG Warns Oil Marketers Against Fraudulent Activities

•Indian oil firm eyes exploration in Nigeria’s offshore assets

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has warned oil marketers to desist from fraudulent activities like under-dispensing of products and illegal adjustment of fuel pumps.

Speaking when members of the Major Energies Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) visited him in Abuja, Lokpobiri in a statement posted on his X handle, pledged that government will continue to foster equitable opportunities and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships between the groups.

“In my call for their continued support towards enhancing sustainable production and ensuring energy accessibility for all Nigerians, I emphasised the importance of addressing fraudulent activities by some industry operators, such as meter adjustments and under-dispensing.

“We must continue to foster equitable opportunities and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships,” the minister stated.

 While acknowledging the importance of the upstream sector for the petroleum industry’s advancement, the minister said he also recognises the downstream sector’s significance to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

As such, he explained that government was ensuring a favourable business environment for the players, having implemented relevant policies for ease of doing business.

“This was the focus of my discussion when I hosted members of the Major Energies Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) during which I commended their unwavering dedication to driving the downstream petroleum market and serving the interests of Nigerians.

“I underscored the pivotal role they play in our nation’s energy landscape and emphasised the importance of continuing collaboration with the government of President Bola Tinubu in his #RenewedHope agenda for Nigeria’s advancement,” he added.

Also, the minister in another forum, while welcoming the management team from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) during their familiarisation visit,  emphasised the critical role the commission plays in today’s data-centric world.

In an era dominated by data mining and analysis,  he stated that the mandate of the commission was indispensable.

He noted that he agreed with the significance NDPC holds in safeguarding Nigerian citizens from potential frauds and privacy breaches, assuring the commission of the ministry’s unwavering support.

“Furthermore, I urged the commission to prioritise workshops and sensitisation programmes. These initiatives are crucial for informing the public about the commission’s objectives and empowering individuals to protect their data,” he stated.

Meanwhile, India’s Bharat PetroResources Ltd, the exploration arm of refiner Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) is looking for oil and gas producing assets in West Africa and Brazil, its Managing Director, Barnali Tokhi, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Specifically, Tokhi noted that the company was looking at offshore Nigeria and other African countries, beside Brazil.

“We are looking at Brazil and the Atlantic area, which is Brazil’s offshore and west Africa,” she said, adding that Angola, Ivory Coast, Nigeria offshore and Senegal are also good prospects.

Tokhi said there were some interesting projects in Brazil, operated by companies other than Petrobras. The Indian refiner currently has stakes in oil gas projects in Brazil, Mozambique, Russia, UAE and Indonesia.

BPCL, which has 10 per cent stake in the gas fields in the Rovuma Area-1 Offshore Mozambique, has agreed to buy 1 million metric tons of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) per year from the project.

Tokhi also added that the company would buy more LNG from the project when new trains come on stream.