The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has directed its members nationwide to inspect their fuel dispensing meters following a warning by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over under-dispensing.

PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme.

He said the association convened an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council on Tuesday after the regulator raised concerns over the accuracy of fuel dispensing equipment at retail outlets.

Gillis-Harry said members were subsequently instructed to check their meters as quickly as possible, adding that several operators had already commenced the exercise.

He explained that dispensing equipment could develop faults over time due to prolonged use, potentially resulting in either under-dispensing or dispensing more fuel than customers paid for.

The PETROAN president assured motorists that the association remained committed to ensuring that customers received the exact quantity of fuel displayed on dispensing meters.

He urged motorists to monitor the quantity shown on the meter while purchasing fuel and request receipts after transactions.

Gillis-Harry also advised motorists to familiarise themselves with their vehicles’ fuel tank capacities and compare them with the quantities indicated on dispensing equipment.

He said PETROAN worked with the Weights and Measures Division of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the NMDPRA to ensure that fuel dispensing meters remained functional, properly maintained and accurate.

The NMDPRA had directed filling station operators to immediately calibrate and verify their dispensers and totalisers after identifying incidents of under-dispensing across the country.

The regulator described the practice as a breach of consumer trust and warned that outlets found under-dispensing or using improperly calibrated equipment could face sanctions.

It said persistent or serious violations could attract penalties up to and including the revocation of operating licences.

Gillis-Harry said PETROAN was taking the regulator’s warning seriously and had begun engaging its members to identify and correct possible faults in their equipment.