The Nigerian National Petroleum Company says it has started 24-hour operations in NNPC depots and retail outlets, to restore normal supply and distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) across the country.

The NNPC made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The statement said “NNPC Ltd. wish to reassure Nigerians that it has put adequate measures in place to accelerate nationwide distribution of PMS earlier disrupted by the quarantine of methanol blended petrol.

“The quarantine was a necessary step to safeguard our customers from the potential impact of this PMS grade on vehicles and machineries.

“As of today, NNPC has over one billion litres of certified PMS stock that is safe for use in vehicles and machineries.

“In order to accelerate distribution across the country, we have commenced 24-hour operations at our depots and retail outlets.”

According to the statement, as part of NNPC’s strategic restocking, over 2.3 billion litres of PMS is scheduled for delivery between now and end of February 2022, which will restore sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days.

It said the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot Owners and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria had also commenced 24-hour loading and dispensing activities in some of their designated outlets.

The statement said NNPC monitoring team was collaborating with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and other security agencies to ensure smooth distribution of PMS nationwide.

“NNPC implores Nigerians to avoid panic buying as there is sufficient volume of PMS in-country and effort is being made to accelerate distribution to all filling stations,” it said.

(NAN)