In a robust response to allegations from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) regarding high fuel prices, the management of Dangote Refinery has defended its pricing strategy, asserting that its rates are competitive and aligned with international standards.
Anthony Chiejina, the refinery’s Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, addressed the claims made by both organizations, which suggested they could import Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at lower prices. He contended that such assertions indicate a willingness to import substandard products, compromising the quality of fuel available in Nigeria.
“We have refrained from engaging in media disputes, but the misinformation from IPMAN and PETROAN necessitates a response,” Chiejina stated. He emphasized that Dangote Refinery benchmarks its prices against international markets, asserting that their prices are competitive compared to imported alternatives. “If anyone claims they can land PMS cheaper than our rates, they are likely dealing in low-quality imports, jeopardizing both public health and vehicle longevity,” he added.
Chiejina also pointed out the limitations of Nigeria’s regulatory body, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which reportedly lacks the laboratory facilities to detect these substandard imports.
Currently, Dangote Refinery sells PMS at N960 per litre for ships and N990 for trucks, which Chiejina noted are lower than the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) prices of N971 and N990, respectively. He explained, “In good faith and in the interest of the country, we started sales at these prices without clarity on the exchange rate for our crude purchases.”
Concerns were also raised regarding a recent acquisition of a depot by an international trading company near the Dangote Refinery, which is allegedly intended for blending and selling substandard products in Nigeria. Chiejina warned that such activities undermine the growth of local refining, calling for protective measures similar to those in the US and Europe where tariffs safeguard domestic industries.
As the Dangote Refinery continues to operate with a focus on providing “affordable, high-quality domestically refined petroleum products,” the company urged Nigerians to dismiss the “deliberate disinformation” being propagated by parties resistant to domestic refining and economic self-sufficiency.