Depot Owners Accuse Dangote Of Selling Products Cheaper To International Markets

The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has accused Dangote Refinery of selling petroleum products at cheaper prices to international markets than to local marketers, challenging claims that the refinery sufficiently supplies Nigeria’s domestic fuel needs.

According to DAPPMAN, the refinery currently meets only 30 to 35 per cent of national petrol demand, with the remaining 65 per cent imported by marketers, including its members.

In addition, it added that the refinery offers products at cheaper prices to international markets than it sells to local marketers.

In a detailed account issued by DAPPMAN executive secretary Olufemi Adewole, on Saturday, the Association said, “While we welcome the Dangote Refinery as a major infrastructure project, its contribution has peaked at only 30 to 35 per cent of national demand.

DAPPMAN dismissed insinuations that Dangote refinery provides adequate domestic product supply.

The Association also said the assumed free product delivery, which the refinery intends to commence, is not entirely true.

“The balance continues to be supplied by responsible petroleum product marketers, including DAPPMAN members, who import and distribute under strict regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).”

He said DAPPMAN has watched with dismay the unfolding tensions between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and while the matter may not directly concern our Association, the Association is alarmed by the tone, trajectory, and escalation of this issue.

“Beyond the reputational risks to various market participants, we are deeply concerned about the potential impact this may have on ordinary Nigerians, particularly in a downstream environment still stabilising post-deregulation.

“As responsible and long-standing stakeholders in Nigeria’s downstream sector, we feel compelled to provide clarity on several inaccurate or misleading claims made in the public space — claims which, if left unchecked, could mislead the public and diminish the collective contributions of other players that have ensured national fuel availability for decades.”

The Executive Secretary pointed out that the assertion that Nigeria’s downstream stability rests solely on one refinery is misleading and dismissive of the broader ecosystem.

Adewole added that for decades, DAPPMAN marketers have ensured uninterrupted fuel access across the country, investing in depots, trucking fleets, retail networks, and logistics and doing so even through periods of forex pressure, subsidy transitions, insecurity, and economic downturns, insisting that these contributions deserve recognition, not erasure.

He went on to state that the claims that the Dangote Refinery’s repeated fuel price reductions are patriotic gestures ignore their timing and market impact.

‘These reductions were often strategically timed when other importers had active cargoes at sea or in tank, creating price shocks that undermined competition and imposed financial strain on fellow market participants, including the refinery’s domestic customers.

‘Even more concerning is the refinery’s pattern of offering lower prices to international buyers while quoting higher rates to local offtakers,” he added.

He said this contradicts public-facing claims of prioritising Nigerians and places an unnecessary burden on domestic businesses already operating under tight margins.

“We reject any insinuation that DAPPMAN members deal in ‘substandard’ petroleum products. All imports are subject to independent, regulator-accredited laboratory testing in accordance with NMDPRA protocols and global quality standards.

“Ironically, the same refinery alleging superiority has on multiple occasions sought waivers to distribute products with sulphur levels above approved thresholds, a fact that calls into question its consistency and credibility on product quality.”

The DAPPMAN secretary noted that Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market is highly regulated, transparent, and aligned with international best practices. Attempts to doubt other compliant players’ integrity are unfair and inaccurate.

He said. The claim that the refinery offers “free delivery” is also misleading.

“In reality, marketers are required to lift at least 25 per cent of their allocations directly from the refinery gantry and must do so using only Dangote-owned trucks, paying commercial rates based on their destination.

“This arrangement imposes additional logistical and financial burdens on marketers, limits operational flexibility, and undermines the narrative of cost relief being provided to the local market.”

Adewole, stressed that though Dangote Refinery is a valuable contributor, it is not a messiah. Nigeria’s downstream sector is not driven by one facility alone, adding, “It is powered by an ecosystem of refiners, depots, marketers, transporters, and regulators, working in tandem to ensure nationwide access to fuel under often difficult circumstances.:

“We caution against narratives that monopolise credit, shift blame, or undermine the confidence of investors, partners, and the public.

DAPPMAN reaffirms its commitment to the principles of competition, transparency, and collaboration in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry. “We call on all parties, including the Dangote Refinery, to engage constructively and communicate responsibly, avoiding one-sided accounts that can destabilise market confidence.

“The future of Nigeria’s energy sector lies not in divisive narratives, but in cooperation, regulatory compliance, and mutual respect,” the statement reads.