The Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association a week ago took a swipe at the Directorate of Petroleum Resources DPR, apex regulatory organ of the downstream segment of the Nigerian petroleum industry over hitches connected with ship bunkering regulation in Nigeria, which gives South African firms a benefit over their Nigerian counterparts.
Secretary Board of Trustees of the association, Dr. Emeka Enebeli, who spoke in an interview, disclosed that the bunkering business in Nigeria is worthover $20bn, but regretted this segment of the maritime industry has become an exclusive preserved for South African firms.
In accordance with him, till date, no Nigerian individual or corporate has a ship bunkering license, saying that the stringent conditions listed by the DPR makes it almost impossible for almost any Nigerian individual or corporate has a bunkering license.