Marketers Accuse Dangote Refinery of Withholding Paid Fuel Amid Rising Petrol Prices

Petroleum marketers have accused the Dangote Refinery of failing to supply petrol weeks after receiving full payments, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the fuel distribution process. Several independent marketers told The PUNCH that despite making advance payments for millions of litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), their trucks have yet to be loaded. Many of them, who borrowed heavily from commercial banks to finance the transactions, say they are now facing mounting financial losses due to the delays.

According to the marketers, the refinery recently introduced a policy change that reduced their allocations following an increase in its ex-depot price from ₦820 to ₦877 per litre. One marketer expressed frustration, claiming that while independent buyers are being sidelined, major distributors like Bovas and A.A. Rano are being prioritised for loading. “We’ve been waiting for over two weeks after paying. It appears only select marketers are being served first,” he said.

However, Dangote Refinery’s Vice President, Devakumar Edwin, dismissed the claims, insisting that the refinery was fully operational and capable of loading any number of trucks. He challenged marketers to “bring their tankers” to the facility, adding that the refinery had over 310 million litres of petrol in its tanks as of last weekend, excluding ongoing daily production. Edwin maintained that there were no bottlenecks preventing marketers from lifting products.

In response, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) countered Edwin’s assertion, urging the refinery to clear outstanding transactions before taking on new supply commitments. IPMAN’s Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, argued that marketers had paid for fuel as far back as a month ago without being allowed to load. “If we don’t load, what will we sell? This is not a challenge—it’s a crisis,” Ukadike said, describing the refinery’s communication as inadequate and the process as “deeply frustrating.”

The controversy comes amid a fresh surge in petrol prices across Nigeria, now hovering between ₦930 and ₦950 per litre, despite stable crude oil and forex rates. Analysts say the delay in fuel supply from the refinery, coupled with recent price adjustments, has worsened confusion in the downstream sector. Consumers are increasingly frustrated as the anticipated relief from domestic refining remains elusive, even as Nigeria battles inflation and a growing cost-of-living crisis.

source: punch