The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has directed its members across the country to inspect their fuel dispensing meters following a warning from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over alleged under-dispensing of petroleum products.
PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Gillis-Harry said the association convened an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council on Tuesday after the NMDPRA raised concerns about the accuracy of fuel dispensing equipment at retail outlets.
According to him, the meeting lasted until about 10pm, after which members were instructed to inspect their dispensing equipment and identify possible faults.
He said some members had already begun checking their meters, noting that prolonged use could affect the accuracy and performance of dispensing equipment.
“Equipment can be faulty over time because of usage,” Gillis-Harry said, explaining that faulty meters could either under-dispense fuel or release more fuel than customers had paid for.
He recalled that he had previously lost money in his own retail business after a faulty meter dispensed more fuel than customers were charged for.
The PETROAN president assured motorists that the association remained committed to ensuring that customers received the exact quantity of fuel they paid for.
“But I can tell you that PETROAN members will, at all times, insist on making sure that they sell their products one litre for one litre,” he said.
He advised motorists to pay close attention to the quantity displayed on dispensing meters while purchasing fuel and to request receipts after completing transactions.
Gillis-Harry also urged consumers to familiarise themselves with their vehicles’ fuel tank capacities and compare them with the quantity shown on the dispensing meter.
“Oftentimes, we educate our staff to call the attention of the patron to check the meter while it is being dispensed. And also to get the customer to check after the product has been dispensed,” he said.
He added that PETROAN works with the Weights and Measures Division of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the NMDPRA on the maintenance and accuracy of fuel dispensing meters.
The NMDPRA had warned filling station operators against under-dispensing petroleum products, stating that outlets found to be short-changing consumers could face sanctions, including the withdrawal of their operating licences.
Gillis-Harry said PETROAN was taking the regulator’s warning seriously and had begun engaging its members to identify and rectify any faults with their dispensing equipment.
