Plans by the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery to start nationwide fuel delivery across Nigeria from this month has been delayed after facing logistics setbacks from Chinese truck suppliers.
Recall that the refiner said that it would distribute petroleum products directly to marketers, petrol dealers, manufacturers, telecommunication firms, aviation, and other large users across the country from August 15.
This it said would be done for free to boost distribution network as it would deploys 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tankers to make it a smooth process.
However, this has not materialised as it has only received only 15 per cent, roughly 600, of the 4,000 gas-powered trucks from China.
According to Bloomberg on Wednesday, this has created a setback to the timeline, citing Mr Devakumar Edwin, vice-president at Dangote Industries Limited.
This was caused by “inadequate availability of ships from China” to transport them all at once, the official disclosed, as per the publication.
But, he assured that the distribution will start soon, without giving an exact date for the commencement of the exercise.
It was also revealed that Dangote expended over $469 million investment in the fuel tankers, which is part of a strategy to integrate distribution into his refinery operations. A similar move that he applies to his other verticals like cement.
This has raised worries from other stakeholders including petrol station owners and independent marketers.
The refinery estimates that by eliminating third-party truckers with its own fleet powered by cheaper natural gas, it will save about N1 trillion annually in logistics costs that would have been passed on to consumers and weighed on inflation.
This strategic programme is part of Dangote’s broader commitment to eliminating logistics costs, enhancing energy efficiency, promoting sustainability and supporting Nigeria’s economic development, it said when it announced the plan back in June 2025.
The refinery also announced that it was investing in CNG stations, commonly referred to as daughter booster stations, supported by a fleet of over 100 CNG tankers across the country to ensure seamless product distribution.