IPMAN threatens strike, gives NMDPRA 7-day ultimatum to pay N100bn bridging claims

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s (NMDPRA) non-payment of bridging claims totalling N100 billion.

Bridging claims entails the cost of transporting petrol from depots to approved zones to ensure a uniform pump price across the country.

In May 2022, IPMAN accused the NMDPRA of owing its members over N500 billion in bridging claims.

Four months later, NMDPRA said it was making efforts to pay up the claims

However, the matter remained unresolved as IPMAN, on April 6, 2024, threatened to withdraw its services over N200 billion bridging claims.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Abdul Ibrahim, Gombe depot chairman of IPMAN, said oil marketers have given the NMDPRA seven days to make the payment or they would have their services withdrawn.

The ultimatum follows the NMDPRA’s alleged failure to address the debt, despite promises made in the presence of Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA).

“One year after our last demand requesting the payment of more than N100 billion owed to our members in bridging claims, the management of the NMDPRA has ignored our demand,” he said.

Ibrahim said members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) mentioned the bridging claims as part of their demands before the strike action would be called off.

He said that NMDPRA promised to offset the bridging claims within 40 days.

“40 days have today become months with no hope of our payment,” Ibrahim said.

“The nine northern depots comprising Jos, Gusau,, Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Yola and Maiduguri depots have become completely grounded over this lingering debt.

“These debts being owed to us are monies belonging to marketers and which were deducted from us at the point of payments for products, in order to settle our bridging allowances.

“We have also continued to record deaths of our members, closure of their businesses, retrenchment of staff and the take-over of their business premises by the commercial banks.