DESPITE the commencement of Dangote Refinery’s logistics-free fuel delivery initiative, aimed at reducing petrol prices nationwide, Nigerians are yet to feel any tangible relief at filling stations, as pump prices have remained stubbornly high across the country.
Findings by this newspaper on Sunday revealed that major marketers, including TotalEnergies, AP, Ardova (formerly Forte Oil), and MRS, have continued to sell petrol at ₦865 per litre, despite reportedly receiving supplies from the Dangote Refinery at ₦820 per litre, without additional logistics or transportation costs.
A few MRS outlets in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Lagos adjusted their pump prices slightly to ₦841 per litre, sparking long queues as motorists rushed to purchase the cheaper fuel.
At the MRS station at Hotoro in Kano, for instance, vehicles lined up along the service lane, causing minor traffic congestion as drivers sought to benefit from the rare price drop.
However, other stations within the same area including Total, AP, and AA Rano maintained their rates between ₦863 and ₦870 per litre.
In Kaduna, specifically at Kawo, the MRS station sold petrol for as high as ₦875 per litre, contradicting expectations of uniform price relief.
The Dangote Refinery had earlier announced a significant pricing intervention on September 15, pledging to distribute petrol directly to marketers across the country using more than 1,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks.
The initiative was designed to eliminate logistics costs, reduce the ex-depot price to ₦820 per litre, and translate to retail prices of ₦841 per litre in Lagos and South-West states, and ₦851 per litre in Abuja, Rivers, Delta, Edo, and Kwara states.
The refinery said the scheme would begin in select regions before expanding nationwide as more CNG trucks became operational.
However, nearly three weeks later, the promised reduction has yet to manifest in most retail outlets, leaving consumers frustrated and skeptical.
While some marketers claimed they were still dispensing from “old stock” purchased at higher rates, others blamed regulatory ambiguity and competitive market pressures.
“We are still selling off our old stock,” one station manager in Abuja told our correspondent. “Once our tanks are filled with new supplies from Dangote, we will adjust accordingly.”
However, a source within the Dangote Refinery disputed this narrative, insisting that many marketers had already received the cheaper product.
“It’s unfair to keep selling at old rates when they’re now getting petrol at ₦820 per litre with free delivery,” the source said under condition of anonymity. “We cannot compel them by law, but morally, they owe Nigerians fair pricing.”
The source further hinted that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) strike had slightly delayed distribution in some areas but affirmed that wider coverage was expected “by this new week.”
Officials at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) have so far refrained from enforcing price adjustments, maintaining that under the deregulated regime, pricing remains at the discretion of marketers.
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) also voiced concerns over Dangote’s pricing strategy.
Its Executive Secretary, Olufemi Adewole, cautioned that while the refinery’s price cuts appeared patriotic, their timing often “destabilizes the market.”
“Portraying these price reductions as acts of patriotism ignores their disruptive impact,” Adewole argued. “They create price shocks for other importers and distort fair competition.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) confirmed that it had not revised its retail prices.
“Our current pump price in Lagos remains ₦865 per litre. We have not made any changes,” said Andy Odeh, NNPC spokesperson.
Independent marketers had previously promised to review prices upon receiving new supplies, but as of Sunday, no tangible adjustments had occurred.
Across social media and commuter parks, Nigerians expressed disappointment over what they describe as a “price illusion,” questioning why the refinery’s interventions have not translated into real savings for ordinary citizens.
A motorist, Sunday Adeyemo, lamented: “They said Dangote’s fuel would make life easier, but it’s still the same price. If they’re getting it cheaper, why are we still paying more?”