Nigeria is yet to resume the importation of Kerosene from the United States, seven months after the figures dropped to nil, the US Energy Information Administration revealed.

The shortage of kerosene in the country has made the price of the product increase to N300 per litre in several parts of Nigeria.The last time the West African country imported kerosene from the US was in February, importing 306,000 barrels compared to the 1.866 million barrels last year and the 1.427 million barrels in 2014.

According to EIA’s data, the overall imports of petroleum products from the US dropped to 2,000 barrels in July from 37,000 barrels in June and 740,000 barrels in February.Other products imported from the US include finished motor gasoline (petrol), aviation fuel, fuel ethanol (renewable), petroleum coke and lubricants, Punch news reports.

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, said the corporation is willing to make kerosene available to all.“We’re working hard to flood the market so that prices will come down, especially in the South-East,” he said.

Nigeria relies on importation to meet domestic fuel demand. The rise in the importation of petroleum products has been mainly due to the low domestic refining capacity in the country as its four refineries have operated extreme below their combined capacity of 445,000 bpd.

The NNPC, in its recent monthly report, said the local refining capacity continues to be below as a result of the extended maintenance issues and supply disruption caused by pipeline vandalism and crude oil losses.

Anita Fatunji