Dangote Petroleum Refinery has firmly denied reports linking the surge in petrol imports in November 2025 to an alleged breakdown in supply arrangements between the refinery and petroleum marketers, describing such claims as misleading and inaccurate.
In a statement signed by the Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, the refinery said there was no collapse of any supply agreement and stressed that its engagement with the downstream petroleum market remains robust and deliberately structured to meet rising demand.
The refinery cited comments by Abubakar Shettima, National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), who expressed strong support for the refinery’s operations.
“Our members fully support Dangote Refinery. Since supply began, marketers have consistently lifted products without any complaints. We oppose continued importation because Dangote Refinery has the capacity to meet the country’s entire PMS demand,” Shettima was quoted as saying.
He added that marketers are satisfied with the reliability of supply and welcomed the refinery’s decision to deliver products directly to filling stations—an initiative he described as crucial to stabilising distribution and improving consumer outcomes.
According to the statement, improved access to locally refined petrol has eased supply pressures and strengthened confidence among independent marketers, reinforcing IPMAN’s commitment to domestic refining as a sustainable solution for Nigeria’s downstream sector.
Dangote Refinery clarified that supply to marketers commenced in October 2025 with an agreed offtake volume of 600 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). This was subsequently increased to 900 million litres in November and further expanded to 1.5 billion litres in December, in line with market growth and absorption capacity.
“As demand increased, volumes were scaled up accordingly,” the refinery explained. “In keeping with downstream market liberalisation, PMS supply was later opened to all qualified marketers, bulk consumers, and filling station operators.”
Since December 16, 2025, the refinery said it has consistently loaded between 31 million and 48 million litres of PMS daily from its gantry, depending on market demand. These figures, it noted, are verifiable through depot and loading records maintained under routine regulatory oversight.
To expand participation and enhance distribution efficiency, the refinery introduced several measures, including reducing minimum purchase volumes from two million litres to 250,000 litres, as well as offering a 10-day credit facility backed by bank guarantees.
“These initiatives are designed to improve liquidity, support small and medium-sized operators, and reduce reliance on imported fuel,” the statement said.
Dangote Refinery also rejected claims that marketers withdrew due to pricing concerns, stressing that its ex-gantry prices remain competitive, market-driven, and aligned with import parity benchmarks, while meeting all regulatory and quality standards.
Addressing the spike in petrol imports recorded in November, the refinery explained that the increase coincided with import licences approved by the former leadership of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which sanctioned volumes exceeding prevailing domestic demand.
It emphasised that the development had no connection to the refinery’s operational capacity or supply commitments.
Reaffirming its commitment to reliability, transparency, and fair competition, Dangote Refinery said it would continue to collaborate with regulators and industry stakeholders to strengthen domestic refining, conserve foreign exchange, stabilise fuel prices, and enhance Nigeria’s long-term energy security.
About the Author
