PETROAN orders nationwide fuel pump inspection as NMDPRA threatens licence withdrawal

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has ordered its members nationwide to immediately inspect their fuel dispensing meters. The directive follows a warning from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that filling stations found short-changing motorists risk severe sanctions, including the withdrawal of their operating licences.

PETROAN National President Billy Gillis-Harry disclosed the directive on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television's The Morning Brief. He said the association had begun taking steps to ensure motorists receive the exact quantity of fuel they pay for.

Emergency meeting in Abuja

Gillis-Harry said PETROAN convened an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council on Tuesday after the concerns raised by the petroleum regulator. The meeting lasted until about 10 p.m. and ended with an immediate directive to members across the country to inspect their dispensing equipment and correct any irregularities.

He said the association had circulated instructions to its members, stressing accurate measurement and compliance with regulatory standards.

According to him, dispensing equipment can develop faults after prolonged use, which may result in customers getting less fuel than they paid for. The same faults can also hurt retailers, with malfunctioning pumps sometimes dispensing more fuel than the quantity purchased.

Gillis-Harry recalled suffering financial losses in his own retail business after a faulty meter dispensed excess fuel to customers. He maintained that PETROAN members were committed to ensuring every litre bought by motorists is accurately dispensed.

Regulator tightens the screws

The nationwide inspection follows NMDPRA's warning that petroleum retailers caught manipulating dispensing pumps, or selling less fuel than customers purchase, could face regulatory sanctions. The regulator has threatened to withdraw the operating licences of stations found violating dispensing standards.

Gillis-Harry said PETROAN took the warning seriously and had started engaging its members to identify and fix possible equipment faults. He also pointed to the association's collaboration with the Weights and Measures Division of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the NMDPRA. Both agencies monitor dispensing equipment and enforce measurement standards.

NMDPRA has also directed other major petroleum marketers' associations to inform their members of the new requirements and support nationwide compliance, according to a Punch report.

What motorists should do

Gillis-Harry urged motorists to stay vigilant when buying petrol and other petroleum products. He advised customers to watch dispensing meters throughout transactions, request receipts and know their vehicles' fuel tank capacities.

Comparing the quantity displayed on a pump with the vehicle's tank capacity could help motorists spot possible discrepancies, he said. Filling station attendants, he added, should encourage customers to check meter readings before and after dispensing.

NMDPRA had earlier said it uncovered cases of alleged fuel under-dispensing, describing the practice as a serious violation of consumers' rights, and promised to step up inspections and enforcement nationwide.

For Nigerian consumers, the crackdown matters beyond the pump. Every litre short-changed is money lost in a season of high petrol prices, and tighter meter checks could ease the suspicion that has followed fuel purchases since the subsidy removal. For marketers, the risk is stiffer: a faulty or tampered pump now carries the threat of a lost licence.