AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Pump manipulation at filling stations has become rampant across Nigeria, with some petrol attendants and their collaborators cheating unsuspecting consumers.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which estimates Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption at 50 million litres, has been accused of failing in its oversight role to monitor filling stations and ensure compliance.
Investigations revealed that many attendants deliberately manipulate pumps to shortchange buyers, a practice reportedly driven by their meagre wages, with some earning as little as N20,000 monthly.
At a major filling station in Iyana Isolo, Lagos, a motorist, Badmus Samami, recounted how he paid N20,000 via his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, only to discover that N22,000 had been deducted from his account. He alleged that the attendant exploited distractions at the point of purchase to extort him.
Another motorist, John Theophilus, shared his experience at a station in Oshodi, Lagos. According to him, the pumps had been tampered with.
He said he noticed the discrepancy when he bought fuel into a 25-litre jerrycan rather than directly into his car, insisting that the attendant either complete the 25 litres or cancel the sale.
The malpractice is not limited to Lagos. In Ibadan, Oyo State, some filling stations reportedly suffer low patronage as motorists boycott them over alleged sharp practices.
In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, a resident, Etim Ufot, noted that cheating intensifies during fuel scarcity. He said this explains why tricycle riders often purchase fuel in one-litre jars rather than directly into their tanks.
Similar complaints were recorded in Ondo and Ekiti states, where motorists accused filling stations of pump manipulation and fraudulent practices by attendants.
While motorists blame the NMDPRA for regulatory failure, a staff member of the agency, who spoke anonymously, attributed the challenge to a shortage of personnel to effectively monitor petrol stations nationwide.
Poor performance of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority is said to have stemmed from systemic issues like corruption, mismanagement of petroleum revenue and a lack of coherent regulatory frameworks and strategic execution of its policies.
