INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Frequent charges in the prices of petroleum products, have a regular feature of the oil sector in Nigeria the price of petroleum products have been reviewed upward trice in Nigeria between 1999 and 2003 (Eze, 2003:7). Pricing of petroleum products had been the responsibility of the petroleum product pricing regulatory Agency (PPPRA) of Nigerian
The NNPC was established in 1977 to put the government in front seat in the oil industry. From then the government ceased to be a mere regulatory agency. Through the NNPC, the government delved into exploration, drilling and marketing of petroleum products in Nigeria (Ugbaja 2001: 8). To facilitate this, the pipeline and product marketing company (NNPC) and petroleum product pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) were established to regulate the pricing, distributing and marketing of petroleum products in Nigeria.
Prior to the deregulation of petroleum product pricing in the PPPRA and the NNPC ensured uniform pricing for all petroleum products through out in Nigeria. For instance in 1989 the Babangida administration through these agencies raised the pump price of fuel, one of the petroleum products to N6.00 per liter. This was also further raised to N13.00 per liter by the Abacha regime in 1996.
In 2001, the Obasanjo administration increased it to N19.00 and further to N26.00 in 2002. In 2003, it was again raised form N26.00 to N34.00, and in 2004. Currently was increased to N97.00 per liter after the subsidy remover by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Uniformity in the pricing of petroleum products throughout the country had been ensured and sustained because of the control and the regulation of the industry by the government agencies the current proposals of the deregulation of the oil sector will not only bring about heterogeneity in the prices of these product but will also bring about wholesome activities in the marketing of these products (Nwala, 2003:9).
Before the deregulation of petroleum product pricing, the marketing of the petroleum products were undertaken by eight (8) companies: Agip, Texaco, Elf, Total, Unipetrol, Mobil, National African petroleum and National. These companies maintained uniform prices of the various emergence of the numerous petroleum products markets in recent time have changed the situation it is against this background that this study is set to examine the impact of uniform pricing of petroleum products in Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The deregulation of petroleum products prices recently was necessitated by the problems of uniform pricing of the products. Among these problems are:
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of uniform pricing of petroleum product in Nigeria. Thus, the objectives of the study are:
1.4 HYPOTHESIS
The following questions are formulated for the purpose of this study.
Ho: Uniform prices for petroleum products does not ensure efficiently marketing of the products.
Hi: Uniform prices for petroleum products ensure efficiently marketing of the products.
Ho: Deregulation of downstream sector will not improve the pricing system for petroleum products
Hi: Deregulation of down stream sector will improve the pricing system for petroleum products.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The usefulness of the findings and recommendations to the government, its petroleum product marketing agencies and students.
Firstly, the government will through the findings of this study understand the biting effects of the current pricing policy for petroleum products on the consumers. The recommendations will help in formulating pricing policies that will make the marketing efficient.
Secondly, the petroleum product pricing agency (PPPA) will through this study see the need to be more efficient In the fixing of petroleum product prices in spite of the proposed deregulation of the prices, influencing the prices will reduce the exploitative tendency of the markets.
Again, the Nigerian national petroleum corporation (NNPC) and all independent petroleum product marketers will see the need to cooperate with the government and NNPC will ensure efficient pricing policy and marketing of the products.
Finally, the study will be useful for academic purpose, it will serves as a data back to all students and researchers earring out a related study in future. The study will also provide the basis for further studies through the findings.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focuses on uniform pricing of petroleum products and it’s implications in the Nigerian economy. The researcher encountered problems on various levels.
The reference materials were mostly classified document of the government and not every office was to let them out. In many cases, the researcher was told to obtain a letter of identification from her head of department before such classified document or information were accessed.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The following constraints were encountered:
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Upstream sector: This refers to the drilling and refining section of petroleum processing activities.