Fuel

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.

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