Oil marketers under the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) have refuted reports that they do not buy refined petroleum products from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Speaking at an X space hosted by Nairametrics on September 11, Devakumar Edwin, vice-president of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), stated that due to low patronage, the Dangote refinery is obliged to export 97 per cent of its refined goods.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, Olufemi Adewole, executive secretary of DAPPMAN, said petroleum marketers had removed 518,500 metric tonnes (MT) of aviation fuel and automobile petrol oil (AGO), generally known as diesel, from the Dangote refinery.
Adewole stated that the products lifted from the refinery account for 60% of national truck-outs in five months.
He stated that documents obtained from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that independent local marketers such as Asharami, MRS Oil and Gas, AA Rano, Rainoil, Prudent, NIPCO, Aym Shafa, and Danmarna, among others, have patronised the Dangote refinery in recent months.
According to Adewole, the oil marketers’ patronage strengthens the group’s commitment to ensuring seamless access to petroleum products in Nigeria.
Adewole said:
“Further analysis of the transactions which occurred between April and September showed marketers lifted 489,500 MT of AGO and 29,000 MT of Jet A1 distributed across various Nigerian ports, with 17 AGO shipments to Lagos, 6 to Warri, 2 to Port Harcourt, and 1 to Calabar.”
He stated that documents obtained from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that independent local marketers such as Asharami, MRS Oil and Gas, AA Rano, Rainoil, Prudent, NIPCO, Aym Shafa, and Danmarna, among others, have patronised the Dangote refinery in recent months.
According to Adewole, the oil marketers’ sponsorship confirms the group’s commitment to ensuring Nigerians have smooth access to petroleum products.
Adewole said:
“Further analysis of the transactions which occurred between April and September showed marketers lifted 489,500 MT of AGO and 29,000 MT of Jet A1 distributed across various Nigerian ports, with 17 AGO shipments to Lagos, 6 to Warri, 2 to Port Harcourt, and 1 to Calabar.”
He stated that all three Jet A1 (aviation fuel) shipments were discharged at Lagos.
However, the oil marketer stated that the lack of clarity surrounding the supply of Dangote refinery’s petrol remained a barrier to patronage in the local market.
Adewole stated that the sector must operate transparently in order for all stakeholders to thrive and contribute meaningfully to guaranteeing the “availability, reliability, and accessibility of petroleum products nationwide”.
Adewole also denied that there was a boycott of Dangote refinery’s petrol.
He stated that fuel marketers were still seeking government approval on the arrangements for petrol offtake from the refinery.
“DAPPMAN as evidenced by patronage of various products from the Dangote Refinery by its members believes firmly in meeting Nigeria’s energy needs and remains aligned to calls for the nation not to end up in a monopoly, which will only jeopardise our economic growth and development,” the oil marketer added.
Adewole said DAPPMAN and other marketers had consistently maintained that the trading of petroleum products globally relies on the critical issues of price and quality.
“Offtake will, in keeping with the laws of demand and supply, gravitate towards sources where products can be bought at a lower price, better quality and seamless accessibility,” he said.
The oil marketer said DAPPMAN would continue to work assiduously towards ensuring the sector’s viability while providing the country with excellent fuel options.