The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has accused the Dangote Petroleum Refinery of prioritising foreign buyers with cheaper fuel prices while charging higher rates to Nigerian marketers.
In a statement issued on Saturday, DAPPMAN said the refinery’s pricing practices contradict its public claims of cushioning Nigerians, warning that such actions place unnecessary burdens on domestic stakeholders already grappling with a fragile downstream market.
Foreign Buyers Allegedly Favoured
DAPPMAN alleged that the refinery frequently offers more competitive prices to international off-takers while quoting higher rates for local buyers. According to the association, this contradicts the refinery’s narrative of protecting Nigerian consumers and undermines market fairness.
The group further noted that Dangote’s fuel price reductions, often hailed as patriotic gestures, were strategically timed to coincide with periods when other importers had active cargoes at sea. DAPPMAN said such moves destabilised competition and imposed heavy financial strain on other downstream operators, including some of the refinery’s own domestic customers.
Clarifying Downstream Contributions
While acknowledging the Dangote Refinery as a landmark project, DAPPMAN stressed that it currently meets only 30–35 percent of national demand. The bulk of supply, the group said, still comes from petroleum product marketers, including its members, who continue to import and distribute fuel under the oversight of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“For decades, our members have guaranteed uninterrupted fuel access across the country, even during subsidy transitions, forex crises, and security challenges,” the statement read. “Their contributions deserve recognition, not erasure.”
Quality and Delivery Disputes
DAPPMAN also rejected insinuations that its members deal in “substandard” petroleum products. It argued that all imports undergo regulator-accredited laboratory testing and meet global standards. By contrast, the association claimed, Dangote had sought waivers in the past to distribute products with sulphur levels above approved thresholds.
The association also dismissed claims of “free delivery” by the refinery. Instead, it explained, marketers must lift at least 25 percent of their allocations directly from the refinery gantry using Dangote-owned trucks, for which they pay commercial rates based on distance. DAPPMAN said this arrangement imposes additional costs and limits operational flexibility.
Call for Balance and Cooperation
DAPPMAN cautioned against one-sided narratives that suggest Nigeria’s downstream sector depends solely on the Dangote Refinery. It insisted the industry’s strength lies in a wider ecosystem of depots, marketers, refiners, transporters, and regulators working together to guarantee nationwide fuel availability.
“The Dangote Refinery is a valuable contributor, but it is not a messiah,” the statement said. “The future of Nigeria’s energy sector lies not in monopolised narratives but in competition, transparency, and cooperation.”
The statement, signed by DAPPMAN Executive Secretary Olufemi A. Adewole, comes amid ongoing disputes between Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), which has accused the company of resisting unionisation and intimidating tanker drivers.