The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has accused vested interests in the oil and gas sector of working to undermine its operations, particularly its planned deployment of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for fuel distribution.
The company, in an advertorial published on Sunday, insisted that its decision to begin direct supply of petrol across the country on September 15 has been met with deliberate misinformation.
On September 11, the refinery announced the initiative, but the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) dismissed it as a “Greek gift”.
Two days later, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) also described the refinery’s promise of free petrol delivery as misleading, insisting that marketers must lift at least 25 per cent of their allocations directly from the refinery’s gantry.
Responding to the criticism, the refinery said the reactions were not based on unionisation concerns but amounted to “a calculated campaign of economic sabotage”.
The statement read, “From the outset, it has been evident that certain actors are intent on undermining the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, particularly the planned deployment of CNG-powered trucks for the distribution of fuel. This innovation has been widely recognised as a transformative step towards Nigeria’s long-sought goal of energy self-sufficiency.”
It added that DAPPMAN’s intervention was a “face-saving attempt to divert attention from the real issues”.
The refinery also reminded Nigerians of the controversy surrounding adulterated fuel in 2022.
“In January 2022, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) reported that one of DAPPMAN’s members had supplied petrol containing over 15% methanol, well above acceptable limits… The result was widespread engine damage for thousands of end users. Yet, no transparent government inquiry or independent investigation was ever conducted,” the statement said.
It further alleged that certification of imported petroleum products was fraught with irregularities.
“The so-called certificates of quality, if subjected to an independent forensic audit, would not match up to industry standard which forms the basis for actual pricing template of the products,” the company maintained.
On the issue of supply, the refinery faulted claims that it only meets 35 per cent of national demand, saying regulators have failed to publish transparent consumption data or enforce quota allocations as required by the Petroleum Industry Act.
The company also dismissed suggestions that petrol was cheaper in Togo.
“A straightforward check reveals that the average pump price in Lomé stands at approximately 680 CFA francs per litre, equivalent to ₦1,826,” the refinery stated.
It stressed that Nigeria has now been positioned as a primary source of affordable petrol feedstock for West Africa, despite importing over 60 per cent of the crude it processes.
Dangote refinery further described the ongoing unionisation dispute as a “cheap ploy” by groups opposed to reform.
On September 9, NUPENG suspended its strike against the refinery’s alleged anti-union stance but threatened fresh action two days later, further fuelling the standoff between the refinery and industry unions.