The Federal Government of Nigeria on Tuesday announced that it plans to privatize the country’s petroleum products pipeline chain.

Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu (photo), the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, declared this while visiting the petroleum products depots in Apapa, Lagos. He noted that the move is part of measures put in place in reducing the problem of oil theft and constant vandalism.

“Ultimately, we are going to look at pipelines early next year in January to see how we can privatize the management of these pipelines and get them out of these perennial problems they have because if we are pumping directly through these pipelines, some of these problems will be reduced. But like I said, all these problems added are not as big as the problems of the fact that the major participants are not bringing products,’’ he told Sun News.

He added that marketers and depot owners should work together with the Federal Government in ending the scarcity. He said the Corporation has adequate stock to last for more than a month and more are cargoes are expected this month.