The Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, Mele Kyari, has said that Nigerians will sooner or later be paying the full value of petrol, saying that corporation can no longer afford to be the cost of any form of subsidy.
The GMD said that the NNPC currently bears the cost of the over N120 billion monthly subsidy for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Kyari, during the weekly media briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Team at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, the actual cost of importation and handling charges amounts to N234 per litre, while the government is selling at N162 per litre.
The NNPC absorbs the cost differential which is recorded in its financial books., he said.
Kyari said that since NNPC could no longer bear the cost, sooner or later Nigerians would have to pay the actual cost for the commodity.
He said that market forces must be allowed to determine the pump price of petrol in the country.
According to him, “Our current consumption (evacuation) from our depots is about 60million litres per day. We are selling at N162 a litre. Current market price is 234, actual market price today.
“The difference between the two, multiply by 60million, times thirty, will give you per month.
“This is a simple calculation you do. If you want exact figures from our book, I do not have it from this moment but it’s between N100billion and N120billion per month.
“We are putting the difference in the books of NNPC and we cannot continue to bear. ’’
