BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has disclosed that it is strategically positioned to champion the distribution of petrol and the Federal Government’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative across the country.
This followed the announcement of a 30-day discount on petrol sold at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, with public transport operators identified as priority beneficiaries nationwide.
National President of PETROAN, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry said in Abuja over the weekend, that the association is capable of carrying out the task given its extensive grassroots presence and direct relationship with petroleum consumers.
He stated that leveraging the existing retail network for CNG deployment, PETROAN would accelerate accessibility, encourage adoption of cleaner and more affordable alternative fuel, and support the Federal Government’s broader energy-transition and economic objectives.
"PETROAN can state unequivocally that its retail outlets have a presence in some of the most remote and underserved locations across Nigeria, including communities where NNPC retail outlets are not available.
"This extensive grassroots network gives PETROAN a unique capacity to take petroleum products and government interventions beyond major cities and commercial centres to the people in rural communities," he added.
Gillis-Harry lauded Oyedele for announcing the discount, aimed at reducing transportation costs and easing the economic burden on Nigerians.
PETROAN said that the intervention is coming at a critical period, adding that transportation costs have a direct impact on the prices of food, agricultural produce, manufactured goods and other essential commodities.
The President emphasised that its extensive network of retail outlets cuts across virtually all Local Government Areas (LGAs), communities and villages in Nigeria.
To this end, the association demanded that 30 percent of the total volume of discounted petrol be allocated through its retail network to guarantee wider national distribution, ensuring that the benefits of the intervention reach Nigerians across Local Government Areas (LGAs), towns, villages and hard-to-reach communities.
The president was optimistic that its nationwide retail network makes the association strategically positioned to champion and pilot the CNG initiative.
He added: "By leveraging existing retail outlets and grassroots market penetration, CNG can be introduced more rapidly across the country, particularly in communities where access to alternative energy solutions remains limited.
“A reduction in the cost of petrol for public transport operators can translate into lower transportation fares, putting more disposable income in the hands of commuters and households.
“The policy can also reduce the cost of moving agricultural produce from rural communities to urban markets. This can help moderate the prices of food and other essential commodities, particularly where transportation and logistics account for a significant portion of the final cost.”
Gillis-Harry enjoined the Federal Government to carefully assess the outcome of the 30-day programme and consider further measures that sustain the economic benefits if the intervention produces measurable reductions in transportation costs and inflationary pressures.
He hinted that lower transportation costs support small businesses, traders, farmers, manufacturers and other productive sectors that depend heavily on road transportation, adding that reduced logistics expenses enable businesses to sustain operations, protect jobs and improve productivity.
The association is optimistic that the intervention eases inflationary pressures by reducing the transportation component embedded in the prices of goods and services, calling on NNPC, transport operators, petroleum marketers, relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to cooperate fully to ensure that the intervention achieves its intended objectives.
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