Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, demanded an annual subsidy of N1.505 trillion to enable members to match the refinery’s gantry prices at their own depots.
The refinery, in a statement made available to FrontPage, said although it offerred petroleum products to marketers at its gantry price, DAPPMAN insisted on taking delivery via coastal logistics, an option that would add N75 per litre in extra costs.
Based on daily consumption volumes of 40 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, and 15 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, that, it was said, would amount to an additional annual cost of N1.505 trillion (N1,505,625,000,000), “which they effectively asked the refinery to absorb or pass on to Nigerians.”
“Specifically, the marketers are demanding that we discount N70/litre in coastal freight, NIMASA, NPA and other associated costs as well as N5/litre for the cost of pumping into vessels to enable them to transport products from our refinery to their depots in Apapa and sell at the same price as our gantry.
“We wish to make it clear that we have no intention of increasing our gantry price to accommodate such demands, nor are we willing to pay a subsidy of over N1.5 trillion, a practice that historically defrauded the Federal Government for many years. DAPPMAN and other marketers are welcome to lift products directly from our gantry and benefit from our logistics-free initiative,” Dangote refinery said.
The refinery alleged that its refusal to comply with DAPPMAN’s subsidy request was the core reason behind recent public criticisms and attacks.
It reiterated that the refinery had sufficient capacity to meet domestic demand and support exports as it consistently maintained a closing stock of 500 million litres of refined products in its tanks each month.
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“Between June and September, the refinery exported a combined total of 3,229,881 metric tonnes of PMS, AGO, and aviation fuel, while marketers imported 3,687,828 metric tonnes over the same period, an action that amounts to dumping, which is detrimental to the Nigerian economy and the well-being of its citizens,” it said.
Reaffirming its commitment to supporting the reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the refinery stated that through various strategic interventions, it had helped stabilise the Naira, cushioned the effects of fuel subsidy removal, positioned Nigeria as a refining hub, boosted foreign exchange earnings, and created employment opportunities across multiple sectors.
“We enjoy strong working relationships with government agencies and remain committed to supporting their efforts, while not hesitating to hold institutions accountable where necessary.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery remains firmly committed to the progress and well-being of Nigeria, and is open to partnerships with patriotic and responsible stakeholders in pursuit of national development,” it noted.
The refinery also reaffirmed its position regarding its recent statement on the DAPPMAN, which was published on Monday, 15 September, in several national dailies and reputable online platforms.
The refinery stressed that any party aggrieved by the content of the publication was free to seek redress through appropriate legal channels.
It noted that it would not be swayed by “threats or so-called seven-day ultimatums” and was fully prepared to defend its position through all legitimate means.
