OIL TRANSPORT IN NIGERIA

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is keen to transfer the country’s fuel transport from road to rail, notably in respect of the rehabilitated Lagos-Kano main-line, but the oil companies have doubts. Secretary of the Major Oil Marketer Association of Nigeria (Moman) Obafemi Lawore is quoted saying members Total, Mobil, Oando and Forte Oil will not enter into any contract with NRC unless it is privatised. Past experience with using rail was not good. He claimed products sent by rail would “disappear for about two weeks”. Despite the generally poor condition of the country’s road network, Total Nigeria Plc said it moved an estimated 1.6 metric tonnes by road in 2011.