Fresh controversy as Dangote Refinery ignores oil marketers on direct petrol lifting

Advertisements

The Dangote Refinery is accused of again going its own way, ignoring oil marketers’ call on direct lifting of its Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).

The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi and the President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association, PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, stated this.

The direct lifting of fuel was in consequence on Monday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited relinwuished its role as sole off-takerer of Dangote petrol.

The development places oil marketers and Nigerians in limbo.

Maigandi said all efforts by the oil marketers to meet with Dangote Refinery’s management for discussion were said to have yielded no result.

According to him, “Up till today (Monday) we have not had a meeting and feedback from Dangote Refinery on direct sales of its fuel.

“We cannot talk about the price of Dangote Petrol since we have not been able to buy it directly.”l

He explained, “There will be a small reduction in price if Dangote refineries sell petrol to us directly.”

Petrol price currently goes between N950 and N1,200 per litre.

He further explained that, “NNPCL sold petrol to us at N840 and N870 per liter depending on the location. We sell at N950 in Abuja depending on the location.”

Maigandi added that, “We’re waiting to hear from Dangote Refinery”, on whether we can lift petrol directly.

Corroborating Maigandi’s position, Gillis-Harry said despite attempts by petroleum marketers to have business discussions with Dangote Refinery, they have not received the green light.

He said, “We have attempted to have a business discussion with Dangote Refinery on direct petrol lifting but as of today, they have not given us greenlight.”

Amid the controversy, the spokesperson of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, said, “I am not aware” by the issues raisedby the oil marketers.

On September 15, the Dangote Refinery announced the first distribution of its petrol with NNPCL as the sole buyer of the product.

Upon the lifting of Dangote Petrol last month, had announced a fresh fuel price hike between N950 and N1,100 per litre across its retail outlets.

The fuel price adjustments came on the back of NNPCL stance that it bought Dangote petrol at N898 per liter, however, Dangote disagreed.

The oil firm, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote had hinted that its petrol pump price would be announced by the Presidential Implementation Committee on Naira-for-crude sales.

However, despite the kick-off of the Naira-for-crude with the expected supply of 24 million barrels by October and November 2024 by the Nigerian government, the price per liter of Dangote Petrol has remained a subject of controversy.

Last month, the House of Representatives urged Dangote Refinery to allow oil marketers to lift its petrol directly.

Earlier, refiners and marketers had hinted that the commencement of the Naira-for-crude sales deal with Dangote Refinery and other refineries would lead to a drop in the pump price of petrol.