Oyinloye Babajide (Nigerian Ball Point Pen Industries Plc)
I buy fuel at N100 per litre. Yes I think government has deregulated, but not fully due to the following reasons: (a) Individual companies are still importing, (b) Government still running the refineries, (c) NNPC, Shell etc still doing the drilling.
However, these are the following alternatives I can suggest: (a) complete deregulation of the downstream sector, (b) Phased deregulation, starting from the upstream sector, (c) Partial deregulation of only the demand side and, (d) Partial deregulation of only the supply side. Above all, any form of deregulation adopted in the petroleum industry in Nigeria should be implemented in phases, so as to enable the state-owned monopolies to regain efficiency, before their full privatization.
Samson Akintaro (Journalist)
There is no doubt that fuel price will sky rocket once the Federal Government begins the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry. But in view of what Nigerians are experiencing now with long queues at filling stations and pump prices ranging from N80 to N100 per litre, which are above the regulated price, deregulation would be a welcome development if it means availability of the product. Be that as it may, Nigeria still needs to get her refineries working before embarking on deregulation because doing this with the petroleum product largely being imported will expose Nigerians to the vagaries of crude oil prices in the in the international market.
Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City.
As at today, I buy fuel for between N90 and N120 per litre. But most times, the meters being used by these filling stations would have been satanically adjusted that you get just a little above half of what you actually wanted to get in terms of volume. The federal government keeps telling us that it has not yet deregulated the sector, but the realities on ground showed that government and its agencies have virtually allowed these independent marketers to have a free day. I also noticed in several cases in Edo state that major marketers now sell their products to independent marketers instead of taking to their stations to sell to the public at the official rate. If the federal government is actually concerned about the welfare of the people, then they need to do more. I don’t think deregulation is the answer to our perennial problem of scarcity of petroleum product.
Fatai Adesokan (IFFN)
I buy fuel at the official price of =N=65.00 per litre with a struggle. However, some petrol stations sold above that amount. No, I don’t think the government has deregulated, the problem is that demand is greater than supply. There is no alternative to good governance. Government should provide abundant refinery within the country and repair the existing ones.
Other alternative is constant supply of electricity and enhanced alternative to road transportation, e.g water, rail transportation whereby speed boats, tramps etc such that not everybody will need to go out with his or her car. Finally, constant electricity supply will reduce consumption of petrol for generators either for business or domestic purposes.
Kwesi Paul (Commercial driver)
The fuel is sold at normal price but they collect =N=200 at the pump on any litres you are buying. They only sell to those that bring in kegs to buy.
The government has tried with the issue of deregulation but the problem we have is the petrol dealers at the filling stations. Take for instance this Texaco here in Apapa, they have just discharged a full tank of petrol, when they sell to about 80cars, they stop selling and tell you it’s finished and you get to discover later that they would sell same petrol to people in kegs at night.
There is no alternative, government has played their part, if its available at =N=100 per litre we are ready to buy, we have bought at N80, N85 and even N100 and as a commercial driver, I am now forced to work a day on and three days off, due to the deregulation of a thing, when we have family to cater for.
Capt. Abiodun Omoteso (Master Mariner)
If the refineries are working, do we need to deregulate. The fuel price could be cheap, if our refineries are working and if our crude oil are lifted by Nigerian companies, it will create job opportunities, if we deregulate four years later, we would again, but do we really need to deregulate?
Are we having the best ship to bring the oil in, if our refineries are operated privately, they will create employment opportunities.
The local refineries only creates job for foreigners, whereas Nigerians are meant to flag the ship and create opportunities for young Nigerians.
Frank Kokori (NUPENG ex- Sec. Gen.)
They said investors will not come in until you deregulate, that is too simplistic and pedestrian, in other words you are not un government and you are not a leader because if you are a leader you cannot say that the oil industry will fall into the hands of some cabal, the solution is that government must always be there especially as Nigeria is a mono-product economy, to put checks and balances in every sphere of the economy. Nigeria is not yet ripe for an uncontrolled free market economy.
Innocent Francis (Oil marketer)
Presently we are buying petrol for N85 as compared to the former price of N65, what I think is that, it has been deregulated partially but we have no choice than to buy it at the price they sell at the stations. My advice is that even if government is going to deregulate, they should ensure to set a bench mark of at least N80 so that at least the poor masses will be able to afford it; albeit grudgingly. We are an oil producing country and we ought not to be suffering for petroleum products. Another advice is that for the deregulation to work effectively, the economy needs to be boosted, there should be increase in workers salary so that even if the price is set for a N100 they will be able to afford it.
If salary can be increased, then the standard of living will improve, if people can afford to buy beer of N200, they will be able to afford the price at any cost.
Fidel Aisuodionoe (PTD worker)
We are buying petrol between N80 to N100 per litre due to the confusion that hovers around deregulation; it is what has led to the artificial scarcity. The reason for the scarcity is because there is no official pronouncement yet on deregulation, government is still buying time in order to recapitalize, by government I mean the cabals in the oil business. But with the way we are going now; by the time government finally announces deregulation, the pains that Nigerians anticipate will vanish.
Personally I don’t think there is any alternative to deregulation, the refineries are not working and yet government spends huge amount of money to refurbish the rusting refineries, even if the refineries are working, the number of cars on Nigerian roads have increased, so also the level of AGO consumption and the other products have also increased which means that there will be pressure on the four refineries that we have; even if they are working. If there will be deregulation, they should make sure that the price is reasonable.
Ossai Uwaka (Business man)
If you are lucky these days you get a litre of fuel for N80, when you go to some other stations they start asking for extra cash before they sell for you, but generally I think the pump price is now at N85 per litre. To me deregulation has not yet been done, all that we are experiencing is as a result of the speculations on the actual deregulation which I don’t think has been announced officially, government still have the plan to go ahead with it and there is no going back, it has come to stay. To me I would not say it has been deregulated yet; the price is only high now because the product is scarce due to the hoarding by some petrol stations, but if government can guarantee us that the price will not go above N100 which is still on the high side, and then we will be okay.
My stand is that government should not deregulate at all because there is nothing to deregulate.
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