Nigeria’s Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMAN) is pressing the Dangote Refinery to supply fuel at fair prices and improve access for marketers. This push aims to boost nationwide distribution and eliminate long queues at fuel stations.
In a recent interview on Live Television which aired Wednesday, DAPPMAN’s Executive Secretary, Ikem Ohia, stressed the need for reliable and cost-effective supplies. He noted that members operate key depots in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar, ready to handle large volumes.
“Our main goal is steady petroleum products at reasonable costs, without shortages or queues for Nigerians,” Ohia said. He questioned the refinery’s pricing and availability, urging bulk deliveries over limited retail sales at the gantry.
Ohia emphasized that refineries should focus on major off-takers for continuous output. “Retail-only sales can’t satisfy national needs,” he added, calling for an open system instead of selective partnerships.
Marketers aren’t demanding subsidies, which ended in May 2023, but seek negotiations to close the pricing gap. Ohia clarified: “We’re businesspeople dealing with a business; we want fair bridging of differences.”
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Concerns also surround Dangote’s plan for 4,000 CNG-powered trucks for direct deliveries. Ohia argued this could limit broader involvement, while Billy Gilly-Harris, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association, called the fleet too small for consistent supply.
Billionaire Femi Otedola, in a recent statement, advised marketers to embrace changes and explore options like acquiring the Port Harcourt Refinery.
Dangote Refinery dismissed claims of over ₦1.5 trillion in subsidies as “false,” stating sales reflect production costs plus margins. It added that buyers must handle transport to depots.
DAPPMAN insists bulk access to existing facilities would better serve the market and stabilize prices.
