By NaijaEnquirer Staff

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has revealed that the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) asked it to increase petrol and diesel prices by N75 per litre to align with depot charges, a move that could push pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and diesel to as high as N950 and N1,090 per litre respectively in parts of the country.

The refinery explained that although it sells directly to marketers at gantry prices, DAPPMAN insists on coastal delivery, which adds N75 per litre in extra logistics costs. With Nigeria consuming about 40 million litres of PMS and 15 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) daily, Dangote calculated the additional cost at over N1.5 trillion annually — a burden it said it would not pass to Nigerians.

“We wish to make it clear that we have no intention of increasing our gantry price to accommodate such demands, nor are we willing to pay a subsidy of over N1.5 trillion, a practice that historically defrauded the Federal Government for many years. DAPPMAN and other marketers are welcome to lift products directly from our gantry and benefit from our logistics-free initiative,” the refinery stated.

Dangote attributed recent criticism and attacks from marketers to its refusal to accept what it described as a “subsidy demand.” It stressed that the refinery has the capacity to meet domestic demand while maintaining an average stock of 500 million litres of refined products monthly.

Between June and September, the refinery said it exported 3,229,881 metric tonnes of PMS, AGO, and aviation fuel, while marketers imported 3,687,828 metric tonnes within the same period, a practice it described as “dumping,” harmful to the Nigerian economy.

The company reaffirmed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, highlighting contributions such as stabilising the naira, cushioning the impact of fuel subsidy removal, positioning Nigeria as a refining hub, boosting foreign exchange, and creating jobs.

“We enjoy strong working relationships with government agencies and remain committed to supporting their efforts, while not hesitating to hold institutions accountable where necessary. Dangote Petroleum Refinery remains firmly committed to Nigeria’s progress and wellbeing, and is open to partnerships with patriotic stakeholders,” it noted.

The refinery further stated that any party aggrieved by its recent publications is free to seek redress in court, adding that it would not be intimidated by ultimatums or threats and is prepared to defend its stance through legitimate means.