Dangote Refinery Raises Alarm Over Substandard Fuel Blending by Nearby Company

Dangote Refinery has raised serious concerns about an international trading company that has allegedly acquired a depot near its facility in Nigeria.

According to a statement released by Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Refinery, this company is reportedly using the depot to blend and sell substandard petroleum products. "This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria," the statement emphasized.

The refinery's allegations come amidst ongoing discussions about fuel pricing strategies in the country.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have previously criticized Dangote Refinery's pricing, which they claim is not competitive. However, Dangote Refinery maintains that its prices are aligned with international standards, setting its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) price at N960 per litre for ships and N990 per litre for trucks.

Dangote Refinery further accused those importing cheaper PMS of bringing in low-quality products, which could undermine the local market.

The refinery highlighted the importance of protecting domestic industries, drawing parallels with protective measures like high tariffs on electric vehicles and microchips in the US and Europe.