The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has expressed frustration over prolonged delays in loading petrol from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing the refinery of not granting its members direct access to the fuel supply.
In a television interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, IPMAN President Abubakar Garima voiced concerns following recent comments by Aliko Dangote, founder of the refinery.
On October 29, Dangote claimed that his facility currently holds over 500 million litres of petrol ready for sale but accused marketers of bypassing the refinery to purchase imported fuel, resulting in financial losses for the company.
Garima, however, refuted the claim, stressing that IPMAN members were not importing petrol as alleged. Instead, he called on the Dangote refinery to allow independent marketers to register and load fuel directly, rather than routing purchases exclusively through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He argued that such a direct arrangement would alleviate loading delays and potentially reduce petrol prices.
“If he (Dangote) can sell the product to us directly, we can buy it, as we are required to pay before loading. Currently, we have N40 billion with the NNPC, yet we cannot access the product,” Garima said.
He further noted that some IPMAN members dispatched by the NNPC to load fuel from the refinery waited up to four days without success.
Garima suggested that Dangote’s pricing may be a factor if marketers are choosing imported products instead.
“If he says marketers aren’t buying his product, he should review his prices. Are they higher than what we’re getting elsewhere, or are they competitive?”
He urged the refinery to evaluate market prices and consider efficient delivery timelines to help ensure steady fuel supply and better support for independent marketers, adding that increased access for IPMAN members could significantly reduce fuel scarcity across the nation.
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