KOREDE DAMIFOGO
Manufacturers can now have a sigh of relief as the price of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as Diesel has gone down from N1,150 to N990 per litre.
BUSINESSINSIDERNG reports that manufacturing companies rely heavily on diesel to run their machines and to keep their production lines running smoothly.
However, it was gathered yesterday that prices of diesel has gone down to the happiness of manufacturers.
For instance, a check on Ardova Petroleum (AP), filling stations have shown the price reduction.
Speaking recently on reduction in the price of petroleum products, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Ukadike Chinedu, said the coming on stream of Port Harcourt and Warri refineries is a game changer for the downstream sector as it will promote a healthy price competition as already being witnessed.
He said both the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and Dangote have reduced prices in the last three weeks, a signal to the gains of multiple sources of production.
Besides, he said the coming on stream of the NNPC Ltd refineries in addition to Dangote’s gives petroleum marketers and consumers the option of multiple sources of products as against a monopoly market.
Ukadike was upbeat that this development will see prices of petrol drop further below N500 per litre in 2025 as more players add capacity to refining petroleum products.
Again, he said the foreign exchange policy of the Federal Government is already yielding some positive results with a dollar exchanging for less than N1,800, adding that if this trend is sustained, petroleum prices would crash further because more foreign exchange would be conserved when products are no longer imported.
He further disclosed that more modular refineries are now beginning to take steps to add petrol refining to their line of product because they are now certain of the market through improved product demand.
According to him, all these improvements being witnessed in the sector is as a result of the deregulation of the downstream sector, which promotes efficiency, healthy rivalry and price competition among players to the benefit of the consumers.
The IPMAN Publicity Secretary further pointed out that the naira-for crude policy of the Federal Government is a major factor that will shape petrol prices in 2025 as it would tame inflation and reduce foreign exchange pressure
Also speaking, the President of the Petroleum Products Retail Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Mr Billy Harry, aligned with Ukadike.
Harry assured that the coming on stream of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries would lead to cheaper fuel options for Nigerians.