After weeks of speculation, the Dangote Refinery has officially disclosed its pricing for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), or petrol, announcing an ex-depot price of N990 per liter for truck sales and N960 per liter for shipments. This announcement comes amid complaints from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) regarding high fuel prices from the refinery.
In a statement by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer for Dangote, the refinery emphasized that its pricing aligns with international standards, countering claims from IPMAN and PETROAN that they could land PMS in Nigeria at a cheaper rate. Chiejina argued that such assertions imply that substandard fuel products are being imported into the country, potentially harmful to Nigerians’ health and vehicles.
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“We have refrained from engaging in media disputes, but we must respond to recent misinformation being spread by IPMAN, PETROAN, and similar associations,” Chiejina stated. “Claims of cheaper PMS imports only suggest that substandard products are being brought into the country. These products can affect vehicle longevity and safety, and regrettably, the regulator (NMDPRA) lacks laboratory facilities to detect such imports.”
He further explained that Dangote’s pricing strategy was informed by the market benchmark set by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which recently began selling PMS domestically at N971 per liter for ships and N990 for trucks. In response, Dangote Refinery adjusted its own rates to N960 for shipments and maintained N990 for trucks.
The statement also highlighted concerns over an international trading company renting depot space near the Dangote facility, allegedly with plans to blend and sell substandard products that could undercut Dangote’s higher quality, domestically refined petroleum. Chiejina urged for policies that would protect Nigeria’s emerging refining industry, comparing the situation to how other countries, such as the U.S. and European nations, implement tariffs to protect their domestic industries.
“We remain committed to supplying affordable, high-quality, domestically refined products in Nigeria,” Chiejina concluded, urging the public to dismiss “disinformation” from groups resistant to developing Nigeria’s refining capacity and economic growth.
