The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Aba Depot chapter, has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently resuscitate the abandoned Aba petroleum depot, warning that its continued closure is worsening unemployment and insecurity in the South-East.
The chairman of the depot, Mr. Oliver Emeka Okolo, made the call in Aba on Wednesday during a visit by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) as part of its nationwide public sensitization campaign.
Okolo stressed that the depot’s closure has not only disrupted fuel supply across the South-East but has also had severe social consequences. “The dormant state of the Aba depot is not just an economic issue, it is a social one, with ripple effects on youth unemployment, crime, and regional instability,” he said.
According to him, poor pipeline connectivity has crippled fuel supply, particularly for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), forcing marketers to rely on depots in the South-South and South-West. This, he noted, involves long, risky road trips that damage tankers and result in huge losses.
“This is not just about fuel. It is about how systemic neglect—financial, infrastructural, and regulatory—has pushed an entire region to the margins,” he said. “We need presidential-level intervention to resume pumping into Aba.”
He assured the NOA team that IPMAN is ready to support national unity efforts and partner on public education campaigns.
In response, Mr. Victor Orji, NOA Director in Abia State, commended IPMAN for its resilience and confirmed the agency’s ongoing campaign titled ‘Pathway to National Cohesion, Development and Unity.’ He said the campaign aims to promote peace and tackle issues such as banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence.