By Samuel Itsede
Matrix Energy Group a Nigerian owned oil firm has come under serious scrutiny over allegation of importing substandard petroleum products into the country from its blending facility in Malta
The company according to a report by Leadership newspaper imported fuel from Malta to Nigeria between July 14 and
August 3, 2024. The importation includes Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, and Jet A-1 fuel from Russia via Malta which were all substandard.
Sources who spoke on the importation said that diesel from Russia is typically off-spec and is often corrected in places like Lome and Malta by blending it with other components.
Matrix Energy Group is owned
by Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu, who is
also a member of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC).
Aliu serves as the Group Managing Director/CEO and overseas operations at a 150-million-liter capacity depot in Warri, known as Bluefin Depot, three ships (Matrix Pride, Matrix Triumph, Matrix S.ILU), and around 600 trucks.
Sources said Matrix Energy is
heavily involved in importing Russian products through various blending locations.
An oil blending plant is a facility that blends re-refined oil with additives to create finished lubricant
products.
These plants use a variety
of equipment to mix the oil and additives, including pumps, tanks, and
mixers. It has no refining capability
but can be used to blend re-refined
oil (a used motor oil that has been
treated to remove dirt, fuel, and water) with additives to create finished
lubricant products.
