The booming roadside engine oil business in Lagos

  By Emmanuel Udom
  Sunday Adebisi, an engine oil trader at Pen Cinema bus-stop in Agege area of Lagos, south-west Nigeria  is a happy man.

He says in the last five years, he has made money selling lubricants to keke marwa operators, commercial motorcycle owners and operators, private motorists and other users around the area.

His words: “I began the business with about N10, 000 in 2010, but today, on a good day, after deducting my expenses, I could make about N3, 000 or more”.

Adebisi disclosed that a 35cl coke bottle of engine oil is sold to customers for N100, while some bigger bottles are sold from about N270 upwards. 

The obviously excited Adebisi, a married man with three children, is not alone in the seemingly booming roadside engine oil business in Lagos.
   
Daily Independent observations around parts of the state in recent times showed that the likes of Adebisi, dot everywhere, selling their products to customers by the roadsides, bus-stops and garages. 
From Alimosho to Lagos Island, Badagry, Apapa, Surulere, Igando, Yaba, Oke-Oba, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Epe, the story-line seems the same.




But, Joseph Odumodu, director-general of Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) admitted this, saying that “indeed there is a multiplicity of problems within the lubricants market”.

His words: “One of the challenges is the fact that people are bringing in processed lubricants, which are used and cleaned-up lubricants that do not have the same ability to withstand the pressure from genuine ones”.

The SON boss said that some lubricant users do not know the difference between base oil and genuine lubricant

Moses Igbrude, executive director, Consumer Rights Awareness, Advancement and Advocacy Initiatives (CRAAAI), while reacting to the roadside engine oil business said that colour, texture and smell of the oil are some of the ways to identify a fake from genuine engine oil.

A fake engine oil when splashed in the hands feels lighter and has this irritating smell unlike the genuine ones, whose colour, texture and smell is distinct, he said

He further explained that the outcomes of the investigations conducted by his NGO nationwide showed that that wear and tear of engines, or outright knock down of the engines, as the accident and brake failures are some of the negative effects of using adulterated engine oil.

According to him, engine oil otherwise known as lubricant, performs the functions of ensuring optimal performance level for automotive engines used across several sectors of the economy.

His words: “Regrettably however, unpatriotic business persons and manufacturers are threatening our economy through the manufacture and distribution of adulterated engine oil, which is eroding value, creating crises of confidence and raising doubts on safety issues.”

 Babajide Olaniyan, a supervisor at African Petroleum filling  said that the adulteration of engine oil is serious issues that should by tackled headlong  by the government, department of petroleum resources and the standard organization of Nigeria.

His words: big time petroleum companies like: AP, Conoil, Total, Oando, have quality control units that sees to it that proceeded engine oil are carefully re-packaged to checkmate the activities of quacks.


But, Emeka Obidike, executive secretary, Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria (LUBAN), dropped this hint and therefore has all the facts and figures at his disposal.

His words:  Nigeria is losing N250 billion every year to persons involved in the shady business of adulteration of engine oil and sales of the product to customers.

However, Obidike is wondering while these fake engine oil producers and distributors smiles to their banks, selling dummy to motorists, our economy keeps bleeding.