Petroleum sector pressure group,the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has commenced a strategic partnership with NIMEX Petroleum Group for effective importation of petroleum products to complement efforts of the Federal Government in driving the deregulation policy.
National President, of the IPMAN Mr Obasi Lawson who stated this after signing a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) with NIEX Petroleum Group said that the product which would be imported by NIMEX Petroleum Group would be distributed to marketers across the country to argument supply received from NNPC and other sources.
The IPMAN president said that the product would go a long way to make fuel available in the country, adding that the quantum of petrol received from NNPC was not sufficient for its members.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources under the former Minister, of State Dr Ibe Kachikwu, and Dr Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for ensuring that products were available for public consumption in spite of the grave challenges they faced.
He said that IPMAN was not unmindful of the positive effect to its complementary effort to bring in petroleum products to service the dire needs of members.
Lawson said that this strategic relationship established with NIMEX Petroleum Group will also 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 products in Nigeria has today grown to occupy a pride of place in the downstream sector of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.
“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” he said.
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 recognized and aimed at delivering consistent value for its patrons.
Lawson said 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 remark, President of NIMEX Petroleum Group Mr Kanwar Ratra, assured of the group’s 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 nooks and crannies of the country, adding that partnership would ease scarcity.
“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.