BY COSMAS CHUKWUNONSO NWOBI
Every engine depends on oil, which serves as the heat transfer medium and lubricant for moving parts. It prevents wear and damage from happening because the moving parts won’t be rubbing against one another.
The primary consumers of engine oil in Nigeria are those who own cars, generators, enterprises, tricycles, and motorcycles. Diesel and gasoline engines both utilize various grades of engine oil. Diesel engine oil is used to maintain heavy vehicles (diesel vehicles), small and large generators, as well as passenger vehicles (light vehicles). Petrol engine oil is used to maintain passenger vehicles (light vehicles).
The overall annual requirement for lubricating oils across the globe is projected to be 50 billion liters, or 60% automotive and 40% industrial. However, industrial lubricants account for more than 70% of total global gross revenues and profit margins.
According to projections, Nigeria, with a gross domestic product of N150 billion in 2013 and more than N450.37 billion by the end of Q1 2021, is the third-largest user of lubricating oils in Africa, consuming 700 million liters of the substance per year (or 1% of the global demand).
The aggregate profit margins of the blending plants were N45 billion in 2013 and N120 billion in the first quarter of 2021. Their total assets are projected to be worth N20 billion. This indicates that domestic production of lubricating oils meets 75% of the country’s total demand, with imports from specialist marketing companies providing the remaining 25%.
You might also be interested to know that, over the projected period (2021-2026), the market for lubricants in Nigeria is anticipated to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.54%, reaching 300,399.52 kilo tons by 2026. which demonstrates that the market for automotive lubricants in Nigeria is anticipated to grow to $683 million by 2023.
This demonstrates that the significance of engine oil cannot be overemphasised and that lubricant production would be a very profitable business endeavour that would considerably boost Nigeria’s economy.
However, this industry was adversely affected by Nigeria’s slowing economic growth. The 2016 recession brought on by the sharp decline in global oil prices was the root cause of the downturn.
Oil prices started the year at $36.76 a barrel and reached a high of $54.06 for the year. The lack of foreign exchange had a serious negative impact on the ability of various lubricants manufacturing companies to conduct business and imposed severe costs on key sectors of the country, which further cascaded into all areas of the economy. Given that many players in the industry imported large volumes of base oil and other raw materials needed to blend lubricants at the time, the shortage of foreign exchange affected all sectors of the economy.
However, the investment landscape is currently changing, and Nigeria’s lubricant industry, if properly managed, will surely triple it’s current position in a few years. This is due to large oil marketers taking advantage of the lubricant market’s deregulation and lack of significant government intervention.
I commend the effort of the Nigerian Government so far in reducing import charges for Lubricant blend plants. I firmly advocate for the need for a drive, and I strongly advocate that more can be done in this area since Nigeria’s lubricant business has great prospects for investors. Should we succeed, early investors will also benefit from pioneer status and a five-year tax break.
I firmly believe that better consumer education, cooperation with transportation companies, increased consumer knowledge, and the provision of higher-quality lubricants at lower prices would help Nigeria’s lubricant manufacturers expand and make more money.
COSMAS CHUKWUNONSO NWOBI IS THE GROUP CEO, REXLUBS & PETROCHEMICAL LIMITED.
