The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have shown keen interest in beginning to lift petrol from the Dangote Refinery in the next few weeks.
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, announced that once the refinery commences sales in June, Nigeria will cease importing petrol.
He confirmed that, according to the refinery’s established plans, the country will stop needing petrol imports starting next month.
Dangote mentioned that his refinery is capable of fulfilling the petrol and diesel requirements of West Africa, along with meeting the aviation fuel demands of the continent.
According to Punch, Hammed Fashola, the National Vice President of IPMAN, stated that the Dangote Refinery can supply fuel to Nigeria and the broader West African region.
The IPMAN leader said:
When questioned about the possibility of a price reduction similar to the one that occurred when the refinery began selling diesel, Fashola responded that prices might not return to the previous N200 per litre seen before the removal of fuel subsidies.
However, he did anticipate a marginal decrease. He emphasized that the private refinery would eliminate fuel scarcity in Nigeria, as the product would no longer need to be imported.
Fashola mentioned that IPMAN has not yet finalized an agreement with the Dangote refinery regarding the supply of premium motor spirit.
He urged the company to collaborate directly with the association rather than with individual marketers.
Fashola highlighted that IPMAN, which controls over 80% of the filling stations in Nigeria, should be Dangote’s preferred partner.
Dangote’s Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has been seeking crude supplies from the United States due to Nigeria’s challenges in increasing production.
Once fully operational, this refinery is poised to be the largest in Africa and Europe. It has already begun selling diesel and aviation fuel, though its petrol has not yet been released to the market.
In January, the Dangote Group announced the registration of oil marketers as official distributors, including the Depot and Petroleum Products Association of Nigeria (PETROBAN), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), and the Independent Association Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
In related news, TimesNow.com.ng reported that TotalEnergies has finalised an agreement to supply the Dangote Refinery with crude oil.
This announcement followed a meeting between the leading French energy company and Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual.
Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of Dangote Refinery, shared at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, that the two executives have progressed toward finalising the deal.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
