The latest twist in the Dangote-DAPPMAN dispute erupted this Thursday as Dangote Refinery insisted it was standing by its accusation that the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) was demanding a 1.5 trillion naira ($1.5 billion) annual subsidy to match its gantry prices, threatening to disrupt Nigeria’s fuel supply amid a post-subsidy market shift.
The conflict re-surfaced with an edited X statement from Dangote Refinery on Sept. 18, 2025, where it asserted, “the crux of DAPPMAN’s sustained attacks on Dangote Petroleum Refinery stems from their demand for an annual subsidy of N1.505 trillion to enable their members to match the refinery’s gantry prices at their own depots.”
The refinery claims this subsidy would cover logistics costs from coastal shipping, adding 75 naira per liter—70 naira for freight, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) fees, plus 5 naira for vessel pumping. With daily consumption at 40 million liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 15 million liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), the total annual cost reaches 1.505 trillion naira.
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Dangote rejected price hikes or reviving past subsidy practices, offering gantry loading as an alternative, but DAPPMAN has not responded as at press time on Thursday. This tension follows President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 subsidy removal, aiming to liberalize the market. Data from June to September 2025 shows the refinery exported 3.229 million metric tons while marketers imported 3.687 million metric tons.
Analysts warn of potential supply chain issues, with Dangote’s 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity challenging importer dominance. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has yet to intervene.
As of Thursday, no resolution looms, leaving fuel availability and prices at risk. The standoff, rooted in the subsidy demand, marks a critical juncture in Nigeria’s energy sector, with both sides awaiting possible regulatory action or legal moves.
