THE Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has appealed to the Dangote Refinery to ensure open access to petroleum products and fair pricing, stressing that collaboration is crucial to stabilising fuel supply across the country.
Speaking to journalists today, DAPPMAN spokesperson, Ikem Ohia, dismissed claims of conflict with the Refinery.
Instead, he emphasised that the association was seeking partnership to guarantee availability of fuel and eliminate queues nationwide.
“Our key interest is simple: consistent supply of petroleum products at reasonable prices. Nigerians should no longer queue for fuel,” Ohia said.
While acknowledging the Refinery’s dominant role in the downstream sector, Ohia raised concerns about access and affordability. He questioned whether marketers truly had the opportunity to purchase products in bulk and at competitive rates.
He explained that DAPPMAN members had invested for more than two decades in a nationwide distribution network, with depots strategically located in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
According to him, leveraging these depots would ease distribution and help meet national demand.
Rejecting suggestions that marketers were lobbying for subsidies, Ohia insisted the discussions were strictly commercial.
He noted that most global refineries adopt wholesale bulk lifting alongside ex-gantry sales, and warned that retail-only distribution could not satisfy Nigeria’s fuel needs.
“Instead of restricting supply to a few selected partners, an open system would benefit the entire country,” he argued, adding that several DAPPMAN members operate retail networks with as many as 300 stations that could help ensure nationwide coverage.
The call for collaboration comes amid rising tensions between the Refinery and marketers.
Dangote Refinery recently invested billions in purchasing 4,000 CNG-powered trucks to supply fuel nationwide, a move some marketers fear could tilt the downstream sector towards monopoly.
The standoff has already drawn interventions from stakeholders, including billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, who urged DAPPMAN to adapt to changing industry dynamics, restructure, and even consider acquiring the Port Harcourt Refinery rather than resisting market shifts.
Similarly, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) argued that Dangote’s 4,000 trucks alone would not be sufficient to guarantee efficient nationwide fuel distribution, further highlighting the need for broader collaboration.