No more petrol imports as Dangote Refinery meets local demand—Oil marketers 

Some local oil marketers have said that they are getting their petrol supplies from Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical, insisting that nobody is importing the product for now.

They said that the supply chain has been stable, with the oil marketers now buying their products from Dangote Refinery.

But some other marketers have also said that petrol importation is still going on as the domestic refining capacity is not enough to meet national demand.

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) recently voiced strong opposition to the continued importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.

The association also distanced itself from reports suggesting that the surge in petrol imports in November 2025 was linked to a breakdown in supply arrangements between Dangote Refinery and petroleum marketers, describing such claims as inaccurate and misleading.
 
 Speaking on the issue, IPMAN National President, Abubakar Maigandi Shettima, has said “Our members fully support Dangote Refinery. Since supply began, marketers have consistently lifted products without any complaints. We oppose continued importation because Dangote Refinery has the capacity to meet the country’s entire PMS demand.”
 
In an exclusive interview with Nairametrics, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, said independent oil marketers have no complaints as there is no shortage of products, with prices dropping.

Ukadike emphasized that he doesn’t think anybody is importing petrol at this moment, as they are getting all their supplies from Dangote Refinery.
He said, ‘’Well, since Dangote has reduced his price, and we have not complained of a shortage of products. Even when it’s in the Christmas period, when you know that there is a high level of traffic. There is no shortage of products, and there is no importation. 

‘’So, you will find out that the supply chain is stable. So, that one, literally, has also cancelled all these accusations and counteraccusations on petrol importation. I don’t think anybody is importing within this period on that regime. Nobody is importing now.

I’m sure that nobody is importing. So, all the supplies we are getting now are from Dangote. You know Dangote has also opened up the market for independent marketers.’’ 

There had been earlier reports that the fuel supply arrangement between the Dangote Refinery and 20 major petroleum marketers, under which the parties agreed to offtake 600 million litres of petrol monthly, had collapsed over pricing disagreements, leading to an upsurge in the importation of the product in November 2025.

The agreement, which was structured as a pilot arrangement, was part of efforts to stabilise supply in the domestic market and ease the recent surge in pump prices.

According to a fact sheet from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), petrol importation rose to 1.563 billion litres in November 2025 from 828 million litres of petrol imported in October 2025.

However, Dangote Petroleum Refinery, in its reaction, refuted claims that the surge in petrol imports in November 2025 was linked to a breakdown in supply arrangements between the oil firm and petroleum marketers, describing the report as inaccurate and misleading.

It noted in its clarification that no supply agreement with oil marketers had collapsed, adding that its engagement with the downstream market was deliberately structured to meet rising demand and enhance access, competition, and efficiency.

Also, independent oil marketers had distanced themselves from suggestions that the surge in petrol imports in November 2025 was linked to a breakdown in supply arrangements between Dangote Refinery and petroleum marketers.

They stated that the report does not reflect the reality experienced by oil marketers, emphasizing that the commencement of supply from Dangote Refinery has significantly improved product availability nationwide.
On independent marketers buying directly from Dangote Refinery, the IPMAN Spokesman said, ‘’We are buying directly now from Dangote.

Instead of that three-tier distribution process, we are now taking directly, and it (Dangote refinery) has reduced the volume, 250,000 litres. Instead of the 500,000. So, it also means that marketers can just combine and get some product as quickly as possible.’’ 

Ukadike said the marketers are impressed with the level of openness from Dangote Refinery and expect further downward review of prices as operations stabilize.

‘’Even in this period when fuel is normally high and scarce, day by day you will see a downward review from marketers. So, we are impressed with the level of openness Dangote has introduced in the market. It also makes the market more competitive.

The effectiveness of production and pricing, you know, determines price stability and distribution. So, independent marketers were happy, and we applaud that kind gesture. 

‘’Once the local pricing is cheap, that will be a drastic price drop, because the transportation logistics are much cheaper and are also more affordable. That policy of supplying directly to Independent marketers has started and it’s paying us tremendously, ‘’ he added.
Stock security 

In contrast, another retail oil marketer, Edwin Ogah, admitted that marketers are still importing petrol. He, however, stated that the imported petrol is basically for stock security, to build buffers to avoid scarcity, and not to dump the product beyond the demand.

Ogah said, ‘’I don’t think that narrative is correct at all. What happens is that imported volumes are sometimes higher than immediate daily consumption because marketers build buffers to avoid scarcity. Nigeria still relies significantly on imports, so cargoes come in batches. This can create the impression of “excess imports,” but in reality, it’s about stock security, not dumping fuel beyond demand. 

‘’At the moment, I don’t think domestic refining is sufficient to meet national demand. While we now have growing domestic refining capacity, it has not yet reached the scale, consistency, and nationwide distribution required to fully replace imports. The supply chain is relatively stable compared to previous years, but it remains sensitive to FX availability, port congestion, pipeline integrity, and trucking costs.