The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has pushed back against suggestions that the recent dip in retail petrol prices was tied to the suspension of the 15 percent import tariff on fuel.
The company insists that marketers reduced pump prices directly in response to an earlier cut in its own petroleum selling rates, not because of any government policy change.
In a statement released on Monday, the refinery said it lowered its ex-depot price for Premium Motor Spirit from N877 to N828 per litre on 6 November and also reduced its coastal sale price from N854 to N806. It added that marketers only acted after it made that adjustment, pointing to this as evidence that domestic refining now plays the lead role in pricing fuel across the country.
The company said it remains focused on supplying high-quality products at competitive rates supported by economies of scale and reduced exposure to imported fuel. It maintained that Nigerians are already seeing the benefits of local production through lower transportation and logistics costs.
The clarification comes after the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority paused implementation of the planned import duty on petrol and diesel to ease pressure on consumers during peak demand. Industry reaction has been mixed. Some business groups warn that holding off on import charges could damage investor confidence and threaten the long-term growth of Nigeria’s refining sector. Others argue that a temporary reprieve is necessary to maintain supply stability while prices remain volatile.
Dangote has previously backed the duty, saying that protecting local refineries will strengthen energy security and cut reliance on imported fuel. The company said it currently produces enough to meet national needs and continues to ramp up distribution, loading about 45 million litres of petrol and 25 million litres of diesel each day.
