Unethical Marketing Practices by Petroleum Black Marketers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Black Marketers, Exploitative Pricing, Petrol Adulteration, Unethical Marketing PracticesAbstract
This study delves into investigating the unethical behaviour of petroleum black marketers operating in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The researchers observed that black marketers intentionally engage in petrol adulteration and exploitative pricing during fuel scarcity to maximise profit. To this end, the study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. This design enabled the collection of primary data from 357 motorists in Akwa Ibom State using a structured questionnaire. The data obtained were descriptively analysed, while the hypotheses of the study were tested using a multiple regression approach. Findings confirm that unethical marketing practices (petrol adulteration and an increase in petrol price per litre) negatively affect motorists in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. On the basis of this finding, we recommended that, in order to prevent marketers from unnecessarily raising petrol prices and constantly adulterating petroleum products, the Nigerian government must do all in its power to alleviate its nationwide fuel scarcity. In light of the constraints identified within the current investigation, we have proposed several recommendations to inform and direct subsequent research endeavours.
References
Ayuba, B. (2019). The Effects of Unethical Marketing Practices on Nigerian Economy and the Quest for National Development. Archives of Business Research, 7(6), 191-211.
Ayuba, B., and Ali Aliyu, I. A. (2018). Unethical Business Practices in Nigeria: Causes, Consequences and Control. International Review of Business Research, 14(2), 1 – 23.
Basil, G. (2016). Unethical Marketing Practices by Petroleum Marketers in Nigeria. British Journal of Marketing Studies, 4(5), 37-50.
Chaman Law Firm. (2024). What is unfair competition in business. https://www.chamanlawfirm.com/what-is-unfair-competition-in-business/
Chikwe, T. N., & Onojake, M. C. (2020). Adulterating the quality of automotive gas oil using dual purpose kerosene: Effects on compression ignition engines, humans, and environment. Chemistry International, 6(2), 75-82.
Department of Petroleum Resources. (2019). DPR warns marketers against fuel price hike, hoarding. http://dpr.gov.ng/index.php
DPR. (2013, September 27). Adulterated fuel, diesel flood markets, DPR admits. http://newsherald.com.ng/2013/09/27/adulterated-fuel-diesel-flood-markets-dpr-admits/
Ebitu, E. T. (2015). Marketing management and strategy. University of Calabar Printing Press.
Ewah, S. (2018). Effects of unethical marketing practices on consumer purchases. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review, 1(2), 113-126.
Giosa, P. (2020). Exploitative pricing in the time of coronavirus: The response of EU competition law and the prospect of price regulation. Journal of European Competition Law and Practice, 11(9), 499–508.
Goo, J. L., Saraih, U. N., Jaafar, H. J. Noraini, M. Y. B., Yusoff, W. S., & Ramish, M. S. (2021). The influence of unethical marketing practices on consumers’ buying behaviours among Malaysian tertiary students. International Journal of Business and Technopreneurship, 11(3), 77-88.
Jones, J. M., & Ryan, T. J. (2018). Bait and switch: An exploratory examination of deceptive sales tactic knowledge and deceptive sales experience. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 26(2), 140-155.
Maksuti, E. (2023). Unethical Marketing and its Consequences on Customer Loyalty. European Journal of Economics and Business Studies, 9(2), 27-35.
Ogini, A., & Abiodun, S. (n.d.). Trademark infringement and unfair competition issues in advertising. https://www.gelias.com/images/Newsletter/IP_Article_-Trademark_Infringement_and_Unfair_Competition_Issues_in_Advertising.pdf
Oluwasanmi, O. O., & Ogunro, V. O. (2021). Unethical marketing practices and emerging consumerism in the downstream sector of the Nigerian petroleum industry (A Study of Bovas & Company Limited). Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 10(2), 982-994.
Osueke, C. O., & Ofondu, I. O. (2013). Fuel Adulteration in Nigeria and its consequences. International Journal of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering IJMME-IJENS, 11(4), 32-42.
Oyedokun, T. (2024, September 19). Black market booms as petrol stations go nocturnal, shut out motorists. Business Day News. https://www.businessday.ng/life/article/black-market-booms-as-petrol-stations-go-nocturnal-shut-out-metorists/
Samsudin, S., & Yusoff, M. S. (2020). Impact of petroleum marketing ethics on customer loyalty to gas stations in Malaysia: A case study. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 121, 109689.
Smith, A., & Brown, L. (2020). Regulating Unethical Marketing Practices: A global perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(2), 213-231.
Sylvanus I. N., Okolo, V. O., Ugonna, I. A., & Nebo, G. N. (2017). Unethical and socially irresponsible behaviour in the marketing of goods and services in Nigeria. International Journal of Managerial Studies and Research (IJMSR), 5(7), 33-41.
Taofeek, A. A. (2022). Unfair competition in Nigeria commercial domain: Intellectual property perspective viz-a-viz the need for effective legislation to this effect (Master’s thesis, Usman Dan Fodio University).
Udeagbara, S. G., Ojeh, E. J., & Anusiobi, O. J. (2014). The petroleum product adulteration and its effect in Nigeria. Advances in Environmental Biology, 8(5), 1212-1217.
Usani, N. E., & Eko, H. A. (2021). Personal selling strategy and firm’s productivity: A study of selected microfinance banks in Calabar, Cross River State. International Journal of Marketing and Business Communication, 10(3), 30-36. http://publishingindia.com/ijmbc/
Usani, N.E., Etuk, S.G., & Ekpenyoung, V. (2021). Integrated marketing communication and marketing performance of hotels in Calabar, Cross River State. World Academics Journal of Research Management, 9(4), 33-38.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Nfawa Erasmus Usani, Emem Akaninyene Sampson, Aniekan Rupert Inwang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
