Oil marketers have clarified that they are not opposed to Dangote Refinery and are open to purchasing refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the facility, dismissing any notion of a “gloves off” stance against the company.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Gilli Billis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), emphasized that oil marketers are ready to do business with Dangote Refinery, provided market terms are agreed upon. He revealed that PETROAN is set to meet with Dangote Refinery this week to discuss terms for a smooth partnership.
“There are no gloves off. PETROAN, along with other stakeholders, is committed to serving Nigeria’s best interests,” Billis-Harry said. “We have great respect for Dangote’s investment in Nigeria, and we’re proud of his efforts. However, beyond this pride, we need to establish practical business terms. We want to patronize Dangote Refinery and have no reason not to.”
This clarification follows recent friction between PETROAN and Dangote Refinery, after PETROAN alleged that the refinery might be attempting to dominate the downstream sector. In response, Dangote Refinery had claimed that some marketers opposed its pricing because they preferred to import cheaper, lower-quality products. Dangote stated that its petrol pricing, at N990 per liter for trucks and N960 per liter for ships, aligns with global market rates.
PETROAN and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) had previously suggested they could source petrol at lower prices than those offered by Dangote Refinery, leading to the current discussions to resolve differences and potentially secure a local supply arrangement.
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