Many motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have accused some fuel stations in the territory of adjusting their fuel pumps.
According to them, the development has denied them value for their money.
The motorists said it was an act of wickedness for the fuel stations to adjust their fuel pumps to make extra cash, adding that Nigerians were really going through a difficult time.
The development has forced many motorists to park their cars because they can no longer afford the fuel.
The motorists at Dei-Dei, Central Area, Dutse, Nyayan, Mararaba and Kubwa spoke to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
One of the motorists, Ladi Odika, said she observed that many pump attendants, who dispensed petroleum products, increasingly cheated consumers through pump adjustment.
She said some attendants could do all kinds of things, including blocking motorists from seeing their metres by introducing items for them to buy.
“Some attendants will pass compliments on motorists in order to cause confusion or distract them,” she said.
She called on the regulatory authorities to intervene on the matter, following the hike in fuel prices and economic hardship.
“When I buy fuel at some filling stations, I notice my fuel guage will not rise, but when I buy at filling stations like MRS or NNPC, my guage will rise.
“The hike in fuel is causing a lot of hardship, and when you buy fuel, you can’t get the value for your money,” she said.
Another motorist, Abdul Danladi, said he often patronised a filling station along Dutse but he suspected that the attendants had adjusted the pumps to under dispense the product directly.
“Now, I use a 25-litre jerry can to buy fuel. The filling station metre showed that they supplied me with 25 liters of the product but it did not fill-up.
“I insisted that the jerry can should be filled before paying. After all the arguments that attracted many people, the attendant complied and I paid,” he said.
He urged relevant authorities to intensify monitoring of filling stations to ensure that accurate fuel was being sold to consumers.
Also, Rejoice Achi said that she preferred to patronise the major marketers because their meters were accurate and not under-dispensing the product.
For some reasons, commercial motorists in Kubwa prefer to patronise major marketers’ filling stations considered reliable, while independent marketers’ filling stations were deserted.
A motorist at Dei-Dei, Chidi Onu, believed that major marketers’ filling stations were more trustworthy in their fuel calibration, whereas independent marketers’ filling stations often adjusted their meters to dispense lesser quantities.
Also, Lateef Ojerinde, said he only patronised independent marketers when he was in a hurry and could not withstand the queues at major filing stations.
“Some filling stations like MRS and NNPC are still fair; when you buy, you see the difference. But some private ones are notorious, and if you complain, their attendants will insult you,” he said.
He called on regulators to carry out routine checks on filling stations to ensured that motorists got value for their money.
A development expert and customer experience management specialist, Aliyu Ilias, called on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intensify monitoring.
He said enforcement activities should be carried out at filling stations across the country to curb alleged fuel under-dispensing practices.
The development expert also urged the regulatory agency to deploy more effective oversight mechanisms, including the use of “mystery shoppers” to independently verify the quantity of fuel dispensed to customers.
He also recommended surprise inspections, where regulators would visit fuel stations with calibrated measuring equipment to confirm whether consumers received the correct quantity of petroleum products paid for.
“Imagine I want to buy fuel worth N20,000, but they gave me N15,000 worth of fuel. That would have taken a lot of purchasing power from me,” he said.
He warned that such practices deprived consumers of value for money and worsen the financial burden on ordinary Nigerians already struggling with rising living costs.
He also called on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and other relevant agencies to collaborate in strengthening oversight within the sector.
“All these people need to be well monitored because anything you don’t monitor, you cannot manage,” he said.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, condemned the alleged diversion and sharp practices in the distribution of petroleum products.
He warned that such activities would threaten investors’ confidence and Nigeria’s energy security.
Mr Ukadike expressed concerns over the increasing complaints from motorists and communities regarding fuel supply practices at some filling stations.
According to him, the rising cost of petroleum products made transparency and accountability in the sector more important than ever.
“It is not a very good practice considering the cost of petroleum products now and consumers deserve optimal services both in the quality and quantity of fuel dispensed,” he said.
He said it would work in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to address the issue through sensitisation and professional training for petroleum pump attendants.
He explained that proposed organisation of workshops aimed at educating fuel attendants on ethical practices and proper dispensing procedures to curb fraudulent activities in the sector would be organised.
He also noted that reports of inaccurate fuel dispensing and related misconduct could discourage investment in the petroleum industry and undermine public trust.
“There are communities that will tell you that some stations are fair and always correct, while others are accused of sharp practices,” he said.
He reaffirmed its commitment to promoting integrity and professionalism in the downstream petroleum sector, urging operators to adhere strictly to approved standards and regulations.
He said IPMAN would continue engaging stakeholders to ensure that consumers receive value for their money amid the current economic realities.
Also, the Director, Public Affairs Department of Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), George Ene-Ita, while reacting to the development, pledged to investigate allegations of fuel quantity and quality irregularities at retail filling stations in Abuja.
He said the agency operates an on-field surveillance framework, designed to detect anomalies in fuel dispensing and storage systems across retail outlets.
According to him, field teams routinely inspect underground tanks, pumps and metres to ensure consumers receive the right quantity and quality of petroleum products.
“Normally, we implement an on-field surveillance framework designed to detect these anomalies.
“Our field teams are very thorough in these retail outlets and subject their underground tanks, pumps and meters to quality and quantity tests to ensure that the public is well served,” he said.
He said that monitoring every fuel station across the country remained challenging, making public complaints and third-party reports critical to enforcement efforts.
Mr Ene-Ita assured that the latest complaints had been forwarded to the Abuja/FCT regional office for what it described as an “operational assessment” of the facilities in question.
He urged members of the public to continue reporting suspected infractions, noting that community participation strengthens oversight efforts and helped identify stations that may be violating operational standards.
(NAN)
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