…Says refinery contributes only 30–35% of demand
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has pushed back against claims that Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector depends solely on the Dangote Refinery, stressing that its members continue to play a central role in sustaining nationwide fuel supply.
This was contained in a statement signed by DAPPMAN Executive Secretary, Mr Olufemi A. Adewole, on Saturday, following rising tensions between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
According to the association, the Dangote facility, though a major project, currently supplies only 30 to 35 per cent of Nigeria’s fuel demand, with the remainder provided by marketers under strict regulation by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
According to the statement: “For decades, DAPPMAN marketers have ensured uninterrupted fuel access across the country, investing in depots, trucking fleets, retail networks, and logistics even during periods of forex pressure, subsidy transitions, insecurity, and economic downturns. These contributions deserve recognition, not erasure”
DAPPMAN criticised the refinery’s pattern of announcing fuel price reductions, saying they often coincided with times when importers already had active cargoes at sea or in storage, triggering market shocks that hurt competition.
The association also alleged that while the refinery promotes itself as prioritising Nigerians, it frequently offers lower prices to international buyers while quoting higher rates to domestic customers.
Rejecting insinuations that its members deal in “substandard” products, DAPPMAN stressed that all imports are tested in regulator-accredited laboratories under NMDPRA standards.
The association further accused the refinery of inconsistency, claiming it had sought waivers to distribute products with sulphur content above approved thresholds.
DAPPMAN also dismissed Dangote’s claims of providing “free delivery,” stating that marketers are compelled to lift at least 25 per cent of allocations at the refinery gantry using only Dangote-owned trucks at commercial rates, a practice it said added financial and logistical burdens.
“The Dangote Refinery is a valuable contributor, but it is not a messiah. Nigeria’s downstream sector is powered by an ecosystem of refiners, depots, marketers, transporters, and regulators working together under difficult circumstances. Attempts to monopolise credit or shift blame undermine investor and public confidence,” the statement added.
DAPPMAN reaffirmed its commitment to competition, transparency, and collaboration in the industry, urging Dangote Refinery and other stakeholders to engage constructively and avoid one-sided narratives.