In a sharp rebuke to recent statements from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), the Dangote Refinery has countered allegations that its pricing for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is unnecessarily high.
In a press statement from Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Dangote Refinery defended its pricing as competitive and tied to international standards, in contrast to what it describes as substandard, cheaper alternatives being pushed by competitors.
The statement refuted claims that marketers could import PMS at lower prices than those offered by the Dangote Refinery, insisting that any such lower-priced imports would compromise quality. “If anyone claims they can land PMS at a price cheaper than what we are selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country,” Chiejina said, adding that these imports pose risks to public health and vehicle longevity.
The refinery also expressed concerns that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) currently lacks laboratory facilities necessary to detect and prevent the entry of substandard products.
Dangote Refinery set its current PMS prices in line with those introduced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) following deregulation. While the NNPC initially sold PMS at N971 per litre for ship sales and N990 for truck deliveries, Dangote Refinery claims it has dropped its ship price to N960 per litre, maintaining N990 for truck sales. “We have taken these steps in good faith, even in the absence of clarity on the exchange rate for crude payments,” said Chiejina, stressing the refinery’s commitment to supporting domestic marketers and stabilizing Nigeria’s fuel supply.
Further concerns were raised in the statement about a competing international trading company that has recently acquired a depot near the Dangote Refinery. According to Chiejina, this facility is allegedly intended to blend and distribute substandard PMS, which would be priced to undercut domestically refined products. This move, he said, threatens the refinery’s mission to drive growth in local refining and support economic development.
Citing similar protective policies in industries abroad, Chiejina emphasized the need for Nigeria to support its domestic industries to secure jobs and boost the economy. “The US and Europe have imposed high tariffs on electric vehicles and microchips to protect their industries. Nigeria must also take steps to shield its local refining from unfair competition,” he added.
The Dangote Refinery urged the public to disregard what it called “deliberate disinformation” intended to undermine the benefits of a robust, quality-focused domestic refining industry.
