Dangote refutes claims on fuel pricing, vows to maintain quality against alleged substandard imports.
EPICSTORIAN — Dangote Group has responded firmly to allegations made by Nigerian petroleum associations, IPMAN and PETROAN, who claimed that they could import premium motor spirit (PMS) at prices lower than those offered by the Dangote Refinery.
The company, in a response issued by Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer Anthony Chiejina on Sunday, November 3, emphasized its commitment to competitive pricing and high-quality standards, highlighting its alignment with international benchmarks for PMS pricing.
Chiejina stated that Dangote Group has refrained from engaging in “media fights,” but felt “constrained” to address what it described as deliberate “misinformation.”
He stressed that the Dangote Refinery prices its PMS based on international standards, ensuring that its offerings remain competitive relative to imports.
However, he expressed concern over the recent claims by IPMAN and PETROAN, suggesting that such claims are misleading and potentially harmful to Nigerian consumers.
“If anyone claims they can land PMS at a price cheaper than what we are selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country,” Chiejina stated.
Dangote Group says Nigerian Midstream lacks laboratory facilities to detect these substandard imports
According to him, this practice disregards the health and safety of Nigerians, potentially harming their vehicles and undermining the quality of available fuel.
He also noted that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) lacks laboratory facilities to detect these substandard imports, raising further concern over fuel quality.
Following Nigeria’s deregulation of fuel prices, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) set an initial benchmark, offering PMS to domestic marketers at N971 per liter for marine delivery and N990 for trucks.
In response, Dangote Group has reduced its own price for marine delivery to N960 per liter, while maintaining the N990 price for truck sales.
This move, according to Chiejina, reflects the company’s good faith and commitment to supporting the nation during the transition to deregulated fuel markets.
Further highlighting the challenges facing the refinery, Chiejina pointed to a recent development in which an international trading company rented a depot adjacent to the Dangote Refinery.
The facility, he alleges, aims to “blend substandard products” for distribution in Nigeria, posing a direct threat to Dangote’s high-quality production and, by extension, to Nigeria’s refining industry.
“This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria,” he stated.
Chiejina underscored the need for Nigeria to support its local industries and noted that other economies, like the United States and European Union, often impose tariffs to protect domestic businesses, citing tariffs on electric vehicles and microchips as examples.
He argued that similar protections could foster job growth and economic stability in Nigeria.
Concluding the statement, Dangote Group reaffirmed its commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable, domestically refined fuel to Nigeria.
Chiejina urged the public to “disregard the deliberate disinformation being circulated by agents” of entities that may benefit from continuing reliance on imported products rather than bolstering local manufacturing.
Also Read: Flood Crisis: NEC Strengthens Mitigation, Urges States to Report
As Dangote Group navigates these allegations and competition from international traders, the company remains steadfast in its objective to support Nigeria’s economy and prioritize quality in its petroleum offerings.
Thank you for visiting and trusting EPICSTORIAN NEWS, please for confirmation on transparency and reliability feel free to fact-check our reports using the global fact-checking tool.
