*The leadership of the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria tackles the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over move to slash prices of the Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, insisting that portraying Dangote鈥檚 recurrent fuel price cuts as 鈥榩atriotic gestures鈥� overlooks both their 鈥榯iming and effects鈥� on the domestic oil market

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The dust raised by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery recent fuel price slash and the imminent rollout of its 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered oil trucks for free and direct product distribution to big-ticket energy consumers, organisations and corporates is yet to settle in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The leadership of the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) again, has kicked against Dangote Refinery鈥檚 move to slash prices of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol in the domestic oil market.

绿帽献妻 reports Dangote Petroleum Refinery recently announced that it would slash petrol prices from N865 per litre to N841, in Lagos, and the entire South-West Nigeria, while its petroleum product would sell for N851 in Abuja, FCT, Edo, and Kwara respectively.

The development, Dangote Refinery noted, would also come alongside the commencement of its direct fuel distribution scheme.

Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary of DAPPMAN, in a statement Saturday, September 12, 2025, however, said that portraying Dangote Refinery鈥檚 recurrent fuel price cuts as patriotic gestures overlooks both their 鈥渢iming and effects鈥� on the country鈥檚 oil market.

Chef Baci takes the world with largest pot of jollof, affirms Nigeria remains ‘Giant of Africa’ + Photos

Adewole stated the Dangote Refinery鈥檚 price reductions were strategically timed, when other fuel importers had active cargoes at sea or in tanks, creating price shocks that undermined competition and imposed financial strain on fellow market participants, including the refinery鈥檚 own domestic customers.

Dangote’s repeated fuel price reductions constitute unnecessary burden on domestic businesses: DAPPMAN聽

The statement also observed that it is disturbing to note Dangote offered lower prices to international buyers while quoting higher rates to local off takers.

According to DAPPMAN, this has contradicted public-facing claims of prioritising Nigerian consumers, and placed an unnecessary burden on domestic businesses already operating under tight margins in the industry.

The Executive Secretary of DAPPMAN further argued: 鈥淐laims that repeated fuel price reductions by the Dangote Refinery are patriotic gestures ignore their timing and market impact.

RELATED: Nigerians Decry NUPENG鈥檚 Remarks On Dangote鈥檚 Fuel Price Reduction 鈥揜eport

Dangote鈥檚 Polypropylene Products Hold Spotlight At ProPak West Africa 2025

鈥淭hese reductions were often strategically timed when other importers had active cargoes at sea or in tanks, creating price shocks that undermined competition and imposed financial strain on fellow market participants, including the refinery鈥檚 own domestic customers.鈥�

The Association as well said: 鈥淓ven more concerning is the refinery鈥檚 pattern of offering lower prices to international buyers while quoting higher rates to local off takers.

鈥淭his contradicts public-facing claims of prioritising Nigerians and places unnecessary burden on domestic businesses already operating under tight margins,鈥� he said in the statement.

On face-off between NUPENG, Dangote Petroleum Refinery

Commenting the recent hot altercations between Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over workers鈥� rights and related matters, DAPPMAN said the Association had watched the unfolding tensions with dismay.

Adewole explained: 鈥淲hile the matter may not directly concern our Association, we are alarmed by the tone, trajectory, and escalation of this issue.

鈥淏eyond the reputational risks to various market participants, we are deeply concerned about the potential impact this may have on ordinary Nigerians, particularly in a downstream environment still stabilising post-deregulation.鈥�

‘We remain responsible, long-standing stakeholders in Nigeria鈥檚 downstream sector’

DAPPMAN stated: 鈥淎s responsible and long-standing stakeholders in Nigeria鈥檚 downstream sector, we feel compelled to provide clarity on several inaccurate or misleading claims made in the public space 鈥� claims which, if left unchecked, could mislead the public and diminish the collective contributions of other players that have ensured national fuel availability for decades.鈥�

The assertion that Nigeria鈥檚 downstream stability rests solely on a single refinery is misleading and dismissive of the broader ecosystem, asserted Adewole.

He also averred: 鈥淲hile we welcome the Dangote Refinery as a major infrastructure project, its contribution has peaked at only 30 to 35 percent of national demand.

鈥淭he balance continues to be supplied by responsible petroleum product marketers, including DAPPMAN members, who import and distribute under strict regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.鈥�

According to DAPPMAN, for decades, its marketers have ensured uninterrupted fuel access across the country, investing in depots, trucking fleets, retail networks, and logistics and doing so even through periods of Foreign Exchange (Forex) pressure, subsidy transitions, insecurity, and economic downturns.

Adewole restated: 鈥淭hese contributions deserve recognition, not erasure. We reject any insinuation that DAPPMAN members deal in 鈥榮ubstandard鈥� petroleum products.

鈥淎ll imports are subject to independent, regulator-accredited laboratory testing in accordance with NMDPRA protocols and global quality standards.鈥�

Kindly Share This Story