15 August 2016, Abuja – In a bid to drive effective importation of petroleum product across the country, under the leadership of its National President, Chief Obasi Lawson. Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has entered into a strategic partnership with NIMEX Petroleum Group, to import 100, 000 metric tonnes of petroleum products.
This, according to a statement by National President of IPMAN, Mr. Lawson Obasi, will complement the laudable efforts of the Federal Government in driving a sustainable deregulation policy for the sector.
Obasi said this after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with NIMEX Petroleum Group.
Obasi, said that the product which would be imported by NIMEX Petroleum Group would be distributed to its members across the country to augument supply received from NNPC and other sources.
The IPMAN president, also added that the product would go a long way to making petrol available in the country, adding that the quantum of petrol received from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was not sufficient for its members.
He however, commended the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources under the minister, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, and Mr. Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, for a laudable job in ensuring that products are available for the consuming public in spite of the grave challenges they face.
He said that IPMAN is not unmindful of the positive effect of the partnership to its complementary effort to bringing in petroleum products to service the dire needs of our members.
Lawson said that this strategic relationship established with NIMEX Petroleum Group would also help improve the supply chain of petroleum product in the country in driving the deregulation policy.
According to him, IPMAN which is an umbrella association of independent marketers of petroleum product in Nigeria has today grown to occupy a pride of place in the downstream sector of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.
He said, “With membership of well over 10,000 marketers across the length and breadth of Nigeria, IPMAN has over the years grown to control well over 87 per cent of the petroleum products retail outlets in Nigeria with a reach that auspiciously spreads to every nook and cranny of the country.
“This commendable spread by IPMAN members in the establishment of retail outlets across the country necessarily requires a steady supply of petroleum products in order for its positive effect to be felt both by government and Nigerians.
“The NIMEX Petroleum Group was founded by Azmat Mahmoud, an astute German Businessman, a global name in the provision of solid services in the petroleum sector.
“NIMEX Petroleum Group with a global footprint in more than 15 countries in Africa has garnered three decades experience in the provision of solid services in petroleum-related trading and in fostering relationships globally recognised and aimed at delivering consistent value for its patrons.”
Lawson addedý that “It is in recognition of this global reach by NIMEX, that IPMAN has decided to partner with it in order for it to bring its huge experience to support IPMAN in capacity building in the strategic area of satisfying the growing needs of its members for availability of petroleum products.”
In his comment, Mr Kanwar Ratra, the President of NIMEX Petroleum Group, however, assured of its preparedness to satisfy the yearning of IPMAN and its members for products.
Ratra said that the partnership with IPMAN as a very strong petroleum marketers association would yield fruitful result, adding that the importation will be continuous to support IPMAN members and to quash the market force.
He lauded the leadership of IPMAN for their initiative to ensure petroleum product is available at every nook and crannies of the country, adding that the partnership would ease scarcity and crash market price seeing the enviable pedigree of IPMAN in the global petroleum trade.
“To this end, we assure all IPMAN members, the Federal Government and the public at large that IPMAN’s strategic relationship with NIMEX will ensure the availability of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automated Gas Oil (AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) in large commercial quantities to complement the efforts of the Federal Government to quench the burning thirst of our members and the public at large for these products.
“It will be a win-win situation for IPMAN, its teeming members, the generality of Nigerians and NIMEX.
“We wish to seize this opportunity and once more extend our profound gratitude and thanks to our avuncular President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the management of NNPC and PPMC and all those who made it possible for the peace that IPMAN is enjoying today.”
- Vanguard
