Amid growing discontent over Nigeria’s surging fuel prices, Dangote Refinery disclosed on Sunday that it is selling petrol at N990 per litre for truck deliveries.
It comes amid rising public concern and criticism that the refinery’s pricing is contributing to the high cost of fuel across the country.
Retails stations sell petrol between N1,060 and N1,400 across Nigeria, rates that have forced many motorists to abandon their vehicles and have escalated the cost of living in unprecedented ways.
The pricing, confirmed by the Dangote Refinery’s Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, is seen by many as adding to the burden faced by Nigerians, who had anticipated lower fuel prices from the new refinery.
The company’s announcement came as a response to claims made by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), whose members argue that the refinery’s prices exceed those of other suppliers, making it difficult for independent marketers to source fuel from Dangote.
Speaking on the matter during an Arise TV interview, IPMAN’s national assistant secretary, Yakubu Suleiman, said, “Like last week, Dangote’s price is higher than other places. Because if you can go by the price, the international price of crude has already started coming down. If I could remember, as of last week, he gave N995 per litre, and you have to bring your cargo and load.”
Mr Suleiman emphasized the additional challenges facing marketers, who incur extra costs on logistics: “How much will you pay for the cargo? And how much will go to the depot? And you expect independent marketers to go and sell it. Can we go and sell? Look, we have to pity Nigerians.”
“Substandard Products”
In its statement, Dangote defended its pricing, saying its rates are aligned with international benchmarks, which the company claims ensure competitive pricing relative to imports.
“We benchmark our prices against international prices and we believe our prices are competitive relative to the price of imports,” Mr Chiejina said.
He claimed that any company selling cheaper products must be selling “substandard products” that carry risks for both public health and the environment.
“If anyone claims they can land petrol at a price cheaper than the price Dangote is selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country, without concerns for the health of Nigerians or the longevity of their vehicles.”
Dangote claimed that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), lacks the facilities to screen these imports adequately.
The company also alleged that a foreign firm had leased a nearby depot, potentially to blend and distribute low-quality products to compete against its refinery’s output.
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