The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has called on the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to make fuel supply more accessible to marketers and sell at affordable rates to help end nationwide scarcity.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, DAPPMAN spokesperson, Ikem Ohia, dismissed reports of a rift with the refinery but stressed the need for transparency and steady distribution.
“Our key interest is to have petroleum products offered at reasonable prices consistently, in a way that there’s no stock-out and Nigerians no longer queue for fuel,” Ohia stated.
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Dangote Refinery Pricing and Distribution Model Under Scrutiny by DAPPMAN
While acknowledging Dangote as the country’s dominant supplier, Ohia questioned the refinery’s pricing strategy and distribution approach.
“The question is: at what price does he offer us, and do we actually have access to purchase these products from him?” he asked.
Ohia explained that for over two decades, DAPPMAN members have built a strong distribution network with depots in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar. He urged the refinery to take advantage of these facilities for bulk distribution rather than relying mainly on retail gantry sales.
“Ideally, refineries emphasise bulk evacuation through off-takers who can lift massive quantities and allow continuous production. Relying only on retail gantry sales cannot meet national demand,” he added.
On allegations that DAPPMAN was pushing for subsidy, Ohia clarified:
“We are businessmen; he is a businessman. We’re not asking for subsidies. We went into negotiations and are still negotiating to see how he can bridge the gap.”
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He noted that although the association had approached Dangote before production commenced to request bulk supply, no firm arrangement was reached. Instead, supply was limited to a few selected partners.
“Figures don’t lie; whatever is supplied now doesn’t meet full market needs. Bulk deliveries to depots are necessary if we must serve Nigerians effectively,” he stressed.
The debate comes after Dangote invested in 4,000 CNG-powered trucks for nationwide distribution — a move marketers argue could give the refinery too much control of the downstream sector.
On Tuesday, billionaire businessman Femi Otedola urged DAPPMAN to adapt to market realities by restructuring and even considering taking over the Port Harcourt Refinery instead of opposing Dangote’s model.
Similarly, the President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gilly-Harris, argued that Dangote’s 4,000 trucks were not enough to guarantee steady supply nationwide.
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The refinery, however, has maintained that it will not bear logistics expenses that marketers want transferred to it.
In a recent statement, Dangote Petroleum Refinery described DAPPMAN’s claim of over ₦1.5 trillion in hidden subsidies as “false and unfounded,” insisting that its pricing is strictly based on production costs and regulated margins.
The company further emphasized that with the removal of fuel subsidies since May 2023, marketers — like other industry players — must bear transportation costs to their depots.
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