PETROAN Opposes Dangote Refinery's Fuel Distribution Plan, Warns of Monopoly

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The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has raised concerns over Dangote Refinery’s plans to distribute petroleum products nationwide, joining other industry stakeholders in warning against the dangers of a single-player-dominated market.

Over the weekend, Dangote Refinery announced its intention to expand fuel distribution across Nigeria.

However, PETROAN, representing independent fuel station owners, cautioned that such a move could create a monopoly, threatening thousands of small-scale operators.

PETROAN President Billy Gillis-Harry emphasized that while the association supports Dangote’s achievements, no single company should control refining, supply, distribution, and retail simultaneously.

“This is a potential monopoly in the making, and it endangers the survival of independent businesses,” he stated.

The association highlighted that over 10,000 licensed retail outlets depend on open-market fuel access, a system that could collapse if Dangote becomes the sole supplier. To prevent this, PETROAN and other stakeholders are advocating for:

– Open access to loading depots and marine terminals.

– Enforcement of anti-monopoly laws under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

– Fair pricing structures to ensure competition.

– Support for third-party logistics, rather than relying solely on refinery-owned transport fleets.

These measures, they argued, would protect Nigeria’s fuel supply diversity and avoid replacing the previous subsidy system with a private-sector monopoly.

“This isn’t about resentment—it’s about ensuring a fair, competitive, and sustainable downstream sector for all players, not just the largest ones,” Gillis-Harry added.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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