Frustration Mounts as Local Marketers Boycott Dangote Refinery’s Products
Devakumar V.G. Edwin, the Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited, has expressed disappointment over the decision by local marketers in Nigeria to boycott the products of Dangote Refinery. Despite the refinery’s substantial production capacity, local marketers are only purchasing around 3% of its output.
Edwin spoke at an event, emphasizing that the refinery’s efforts to offer affordable petroleum products have been unsuccessful in persuading Nigerian traders to source their refined products from the local refinery instead of importing them. "The whole purpose of building this refinery in Nigeria was to utilize our local crude instead of exporting raw materials and importing finished products," he said. "We should be able to refine and use the finished products within Nigeria and produce more to export the surplus."
The refinery, which is one of the largest in Africa, was established to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products and create jobs in the country. However, the boycott by local marketers has hindered the refinery’s ability to achieve its goals. Edwin’s comments highlight the challenges faced by the refinery in penetrating the local market and the need for a change in the mindset of Nigerian traders.
The situation has significant implications for the Nigerian economy, as the country continues to struggle with fuel scarcity and reliance on imported petroleum products. The Dangote Refinery’s failure to sell its products to local marketers has led to a surplus of refined products, which is expected to increase further if the situation is not addressed.
As the refinery continues to face challenges in the local market, it remains to be seen whether the boycott by local marketers will be lifted, and the refinery will be able to achieve its full potential.
