By Chibisi Ohakah, Abuja
Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reported that federal government total payments on fuel subsidy between January and October this year totaled N1.03 trillion.
A breakdown showed that in May, June and July, under-recoveries (petrol subsidies) value stood at N126.298 billion, N164.337 billion and N103.286 billion respectively. Similarly, the company reported N173.132 billion, N149.283 billion and N163.709 billion as petrol subsidy spending/value shortfalls in August, September and October respectively.
The state oil company made the startling disclosures in its latest report which before the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). In the report, the NNPC Limited referred to its subsidy spending as under-recovery.
NNPC Limited said in the report that while nothing was provided for as under-recovery of the PMS/value shortfall in January this year, it spent N25.374 billion, N60.396 billion and N61.966 billion in February, March and April respectively.
According to the latest report, the total crude oil lifting stood at 11.49 million barrels (export and domestic crude) in September, representing 98.5 percent increase over the 5.79 barrels lifted in the preceding month while the country’s total oil production stood at 1.417 million barrels.
However, the company did not state the crude oil export revenue for the month of September as sales receipt in the report but indicated in the report to the FAAC that domestic gas and other receipts in the month totaled N6.78 billion.
The corporation further reported that the domestic gas receipt in the month was N4.07 billion, adding that feedstock valued at $59.43 million was sold to Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas company during the period, out of which $52.57 million was received during the month.
For other receipts, the Nigeria state-owned oil company reported that the sum of $95.63m being miscellaneous receipts, gas and haulage fees and interest income were received in October 2021.
It clarified that “The sum of N252,968,629,898.13 was the gross domestic crude oil and gas revenue for the month of October 2021. The recoveries were strategic, holding cost and pipeline repairs amounting to N7,757,631,778.84; product losses worth N143,386,571.87 and value short fall of N163,709,314,928.61 (this comprised of the N123,709,314,928.61 for September 2021 and N40,000,000,000 value shortfall deferred in June 2021.
“The October 2021 value shortfall of N199,007,758,422.75 is to be recovered from the November 2021 proceeds due for sharing at the December 2021 FAAC meeting”, the company added.
Observers say that in the past few years, the NNPC Limited has remained the major importer of fuel into the country as FOREX and other constraints had made it difficult for other marketers to import fuel into the country.