Says, Customers Must Receive Every Litre Paid For
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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has warned petroleum retail outlet operators that persistent or serious under-dispensing of products could result in the revocation of their operating licences.
The authority issued the warning in a circular released on Tuesday in Abuja following reported incidents of inaccurate dispensing at filling stations across the country.
It described under-dispensing as a serious violation of consumer rights and a breach of the trust placed in operators by customers purchasing petroleum products.
According to the regulator, consumers are entitled to receive the exact quantity of petroleum products for which they pay, warning that any manipulation or improper calibration of dispensing equipment would attract regulatory sanctions.
“To safeguard the interests of consumers, all retail outlet operators are hereby directed to carry out immediate calibration and verification of all dispensers and totalisers,” the circular stated.
The authority explained that the directive was intended to guarantee accurate measurement and ensure that customers received full value for their money.
It ordered filling station operators to immediately inspect and calibrate their pumps and other measuring equipment rather than wait for enforcement officers to discover irregularities during inspections.
The NMDPRA disclosed that it had intensified surveillance, inspection and enforcement activities at petroleum retail outlets nationwide.
It warned that stations found under-dispensing products or operating with improperly calibrated equipment would be directed to take immediate corrective measures and could face further penalties.
“Persistent or serious violations will be subject to appropriate sanctions, up to and including revocation of the outlet’s licence, in line with NMDPRA’s regulations,” the authority said.
The warning means that filling stations which repeatedly sell quantities below the amounts displayed on their pumps risk losing regulatory approval to continue operating.
The authority also directed major petroleum marketers’ associations to circulate the warning among their members and support compliance throughout the downstream petroleum industry.
The organisations named by the regulator include the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria.
The regulator said the associations were expected to sensitise their members and ensure that operators understood the consequences of inaccurate measurement and under-dispensing.
Under-dispensing occurs when the volume of petroleum product delivered through a pump is lower than the quantity displayed or paid for by the consumer.
The practice effectively increases the amount customers pay for each litre, particularly when pumps have been deliberately manipulated or have not been properly calibrated.
The NMDPRA maintained that it remained committed to protecting consumers, promoting transparency and safeguarding the integrity of petroleum product transactions nationwide
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