Independent fuel marketers have threatened a nationwide strike and closure of filling stations if the Federal Government attempts to implement petrol price control in Nigeria. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) issued this warning following remarks from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, who stated that deregulation does not allow marketers to exploit consumers through unfair pricing or excessive profiteering.

The dispute stems from public dissatisfaction over high domestic fuel costs despite a significant drop in global crude oil prices. Government regulatory bodies, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), expressed worries that local retail rates have failed to mirror international market declines. While the government maintains it has a legal duty under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to protect citizens from exploitation, marketers argue that enforcing any petrol price control in Nigeria contradicts the principles of a deregulated economy.

According to IPMAN, marketers are currently incurring heavy financial losses due to rapid price adjustments by local refineries and a lack of robust market competition. They noted that many businesses operate on fixed-interest bank loans, making forced price reductions unsustainable without addressing underlying supply-side challenges. Stakeholders, including the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), have urged the minister to convene an urgent meeting to resolve the pricing standoff through dialogue rather than unilateral regulatory enforcement.

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