IPMAN Threatens Nationwide Fuel Station Shutdown Over Price Control Plan

Independent petroleum marketers have warned of a nationwide shutdown of filling stations if the Federal Government moves to impose petrol price controls, arguing that such a decision would undermine Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector.

The warning follows remarks by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, who directed regulators to protect consumers from excessive fuel pricing amid growing public concerns over the high cost of petrol despite falling global crude oil prices. The minister made the statement during the 2026 General Counsel and Legal Advisers Forum organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja.

Reacting to the development on Tuesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, dismissed allegations that marketers were exploiting consumers and insisted that many operators were already facing significant financial losses due to frequent price fluctuations.

Ukadike maintained that imposing pump price controls in a deregulated market would be unacceptable and could trigger a nationwide protest by marketers through the closure of filling stations.

“If they attempt to enforce price control, we will shut down our stations across the country,” he said.

According to him, marketers often buy petroleum products at higher prices only for market rates to drop before the products reach their outlets, leaving them with losses.

“You cannot claim to have a deregulated market and then dictate the price at which operators should sell their products. Before telling marketers how much to sell, there must be an understanding of the cost at which the products were purchased,” he argued.

The marketers’ position highlights growing tensions within the downstream sector as authorities seek ways to address public complaints over fuel prices.

Also weighing in on the issue, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, supported efforts to protect consumers but stressed that any regulatory action should be preceded by consultations with industry stakeholders.

“The Minister of Petroleum has the authority to intervene to ensure Nigerians are treated fairly. The NMDPRA and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission also have roles to play. However, any decision to sanction operators or intervene in pricing should follow proper stakeholder engagement,” he said.

Meanwhile, NMDPRA spokesperson George Ene-Ita said he had not been informed of any planned regulatory action regarding fuel pricing.

The debate comes as Nigerians continue to grapple with rising energy costs, while industry players and regulators remain divided over how best to balance consumer protection with the principles of a fully deregulated petroleum market.