The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has issued a stark warning to Nigerians regarding a newly leased depot by an unnamed international trading company, alleged to be blending substandard petroleum products in the country.
In a statement on Sunday, Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, stated that this operation, situated adjacent to the refinery, poses significant risks to both public safety and the nation’s refining industry.
“This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria,” Chiejina stated, urging consumers to be wary of cheaper fuel offers.
He asserted that any marketer selling petrol below the refinery’s current price is likely involved in importing low-quality products.
Recently, Dangote’s petrol prices ranged from N1,015 to N1,028 per litre, while some marketers vowed to undercut these rates.
The statement responded to claims by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) that they could import fuel at lower prices than Dangote’s, which they allege is driving competition.
However, the refinery countered, stressing that their pricing is competitive and benchmarked against international rates.
Chiejina also criticised the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for its lack of laboratory facilities to effectively monitor fuel quality. “Unfortunately, the regulator does not even have laboratory facilities that can be used to detect substandard products,” she stated.
“The refinery, which recently began selling petrol at N960 per litre for ships and N990 for trucks, remains committed to providing high-quality, domestically refined products. “We call on the public to disregard the deliberate disinformation being circulated,” Chiejina added.
