The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, has assured Nigerians that negotiations with Dangote Refinery to facilitate the direct loading of petrol from its impressive 650,000-barrel-capacity facility are nearing completion. He expressed confidence that the association is currently discussing all essential details with the refinery and anticipates that the agreement will be finalized very soon.
Maigandi made this announcement during the inauguration of a taskforce team in Abuja on Wednesday, which is dedicated to monitoring and preventing oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism, adulteration of petroleum products, and other illegal activities. He highlighted the significance of this initiative in maintaining the integrity of the petroleum supply chain.
In addition to the discussions with Dangote, Maigandi confirmed that the pricing concerns with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have been successfully resolved. With this issue addressed, the association is now primarily focused on securing a favorable agreement with Dangote Refinery.
Following the government’s full deregulation of the oil sector, marketers have been advocating for the direct loading of petrol from the refinery. However, this capability is under careful consideration, especially amid allegations that the current production levels at the Dangote Refinery may not be sufficient to meet the country’s domestic demand. As a result, marketers have indicated that they will need to import additional petrol to supplement the supply from the $20 billion Lekki-based plant. This development emphasizes the ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s petroleum market and the need for effective solutions to ensure a steady supply of fuel for consumers.
