Dangote Refinery Cuts Petrol Sales To Importing Marketers

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stopped supplying petrol to major marketers that also bring imported fuel into Nigeria, in a fresh development that could intensify the competition between locally refined products and fuel imports.

The refinery’s decision is linked to concerns over the mixing of its petrol with imported products. Dangote says such blending could make it difficult to distinguish between fuel produced at its facility and products sourced elsewhere.

For now, the refinery is focusing its petrol sales on independent marketers and other buyers that are not involved in importing the product.

The move comes after weeks of disagreement between the refinery and petroleum marketers over the continued importation of petrol despite growing domestic refining capacity.

Some marketers have criticised the restriction, arguing that buyers should be free to source products from different suppliers. They also maintain that imports can remain necessary when local supply does not fully meet demand.

The development adds another layer to the wider competition between Dangote Refinery and fuel importers, with the dispute also raising questions around petrol supply and import licences.

For Nigerian motorists, the bigger question will be whether the latest supply decision affects petrol availability and pump prices in the coming days.