Dangote Refinery resumes petrol sales at N774 per litre under new system, restricting direct purchase to approved major marketers and depot owners

Dangote Refinery has resumed the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, under a revised distribution system that limits direct access to approved major marketers and depot owners.

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The move, approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), replaces the earlier open-access model that allowed smaller buyers and independent marketers to purchase directly from the refinery.

Authorized buyers under the new arrangement include Mobil/11 Plc, Total, Matrix, Rainoil, Nipco, Northwest, Ardova, Bovas, Pivot, AA Rano, AYM Shafa, NNPC, and MRS. Independent marketers must now source petrol from depots rather than the refinery itself.

Industry experts say the controlled distribution framework aims to stabilise pricing, reduce volatility, and enhance confidence across Nigeria’s petroleum value chain.

The refinery’s gantry price remains at N774 per litre, though early market adjustments indicate retail prices may reach N800 per litre in Lagos and N820 in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.

Petrol will be distributed via coastal vessel shipments, ship-based transactions, and gantry loading for authorised buyers, who will set ex-depot prices.

Stakeholders have welcomed the shift. The National President of the Oil and Gas Services Providers Association of Nigeria (OGSPAN), Mazi Colman Obasi, described it as a positive step for market stability and long-term supply sufficiency.

The NMDPRA also engaged wholesale suppliers in Abuja to discuss pricing transparency, regulatory compliance, and market stability, highlighting the government’s commitment to efficiency and sustainability in Nigeria’s deregulated petroleum sector.

The revised framework marks a new phase for the downstream market, placing depot owners and major marketers at the centre of supply management and retail pricing.

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Despite the refinery’s N774 per litre price, imported petrol has recently been cheaper, averaging N721.80 per litre, according to the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN).