Many weeks after Nigerian airlines have groaned under acute shortage of aviation fuel, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has supplied 38.7 million litres of the product to the market to ensure a hitch-free air travel across the country during and after the Christmas period.
The group managing director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the giant step was taken to forestall shortage of the product, a situation that had recently led to reported cases of flight delays and cancellations across the nation’s airports.
Dr. Baru said in the build-up to the yuletide period, the Corporation had exceeded the demand of marketers.
He explained that the NNPC had imported about 38.7million litres of aviation fuel which represented about 26-day sufficiency.
“Specifically on December 14, 2016, the Corporation completed the discharge of 8,800 metric tonnes which represented about 10.6 million litres to major terminals in the country.
“In addition, as at this morning (December 19, 2016), 23,500 metric tonnes which represented about 28.2million litres was being discharged to the major oil terminals.
“In order to sustain the tempo, the Corporation had also secured the supply of additional 30,000 metric tonne vessel of aviation turbine kerosene which represented about 36million litres expected to berth Nigerian shores before the end of the year,” he said.
He also stated the “NNPC has over 40-day sufficiency for premium motor spirit and adequate volumes of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automotive Gas Oil to satisfy national demand throughout the yuletide period and beyond.”
He assured that the corporation would sustain the drive towards ensuring availability of petroleum products at all times.