Nigerians are expressing outrage over Dangote Refinery’s refusal to disclose the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) months after it began fuel distribution. The backlash follows a statement from the Dangote Group on Saturday, which denied claims made by petroleum marketers that the refinery’s petrol is sold for between N1,115 and N1,028 per litre.
Yakubu Suleiman, the National Assistant Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, had earlier stated in an interview with Arise Television that the price of Dangote petrol was higher than that of alternative sources. He insisted that the pricing range indicated a significant cost discrepancy.
In response to the claims, Dangote dismissed the marketers’ statements as “fake news.” This has led to increasing calls for transparency regarding the refinery’s pricing strategy. Many Nigerians took to social media platform X, urging Dangote Refinery to publicly reveal its fuel prices instead of operating in secrecy.
One user, @Olurunwababs, criticized the refinery, stating, “It is laughable to debunk a claim as fake, then refuse to disclose how much it is to buy from Dangote Refinery! What DR needs to do is tell us how much they sell fuel. That way, we will have a full picture of what is going on!”
Another user, @Abdul_A_Bello, simply urged the company to disclose its prices, saying, “Just tell us how much you are selling from your depot.”
Adding to the chorus, user @Abbaaudu questioned Dangote’s reluctance to disclose petrol prices. “If his refinery produces at a lower cost, why not transparently announce prices to attract local buyers and reduce imports? The secrecy fuels speculation about potential market dominance or unseen factors at play,” he remarked, calling for clarity on the pricing issue.
The controversy comes in the wake of Nigeria’s ongoing struggles with fuel prices, which have soared to between N1,025 and N1,300 per litre nationwide amid recent price hikes. Following the lifting of Dangote Petrol on September 15, 2024, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited reported that it purchased fuel from the Lagos-based refinery at N898 per litre. However, Dangote refuted this claim without providing the exact pricing details, leaving many consumers frustrated and confused.
As public scrutiny grows, the demand for price transparency from Dangote Refinery remains a pressing issue in Nigeria’s complex fuel market.
