FG withdraws methanol-laden petrol from market

Limited quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol, with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in the supply chain, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), an agency of the Federal Government, has disclosed.

To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit.

Methanol is a regular additive in petrol and usually blended in an acceptable quantity.

NMDPRA, the defunct Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Authority, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

It noted that the source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the Authority and NNPC Ltd.

It assured that its technical team in conjunction with NNPC and other industry stakeholders, would continue to monitor and ensure that quality petroleum products were supplied and distributed nationwide.

“NNPC Ltd and all oil marketing companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.

“Meanwhile, NNPC has intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petrol into the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap,” the agency said.

TheStar