Dangote Refinery Accuses International Trading Company of Competing with Substandard Products
Dangote Refinery has issued a strong critique of an unnamed international trading company for allegedly hiring a nearby depot to blend substandard petroleum products in an effort to compete with the refinery’s higher-quality output in the Nigerian market. This claim was made by Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer at Dangote Refinery, in a statement released on November 3, 2024.
Chiejina emphasized that the actions of the trading company pose a significant threat to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria, urging the government to establish protective regulations similar to those implemented by other oil-producing nations. He pointed out that countries like the U.S. and those in Europe often impose high tariffs to safeguard their domestic industries and support local job creation.
“This international trading company’s decision to blend substandard products to undercut our pricing is detrimental to the integrity of domestic refining in Nigeria,” Chiejina stated. He called on the relevant authorities to take note of these developments and protect the country’s refining sector.
The refinery has been committed to providing affordable and high-quality petroleum products in Nigeria, and Chiejina urged the public to disregard misinformation regarding petrol pricing that he attributes to those resistant to local production efforts.
This accusation follows recent tensions between the refinery and Nigeria’s regulatory bodies. Earlier, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) suggested that Dangote’s products were inferior to imports, a claim that provoked public backlash. In response, Dangote invited regulators to verify the quality of its products, maintaining confidence in its output compared to other local filling stations.
Dangote also addressed the current fuel scarcity in Nigeria, asserting that the refinery has the capacity to meet local demand, even if consumption rises to 55 million liters per day. He stressed that with the refinery’s products readily available, there is no justification for marketers to continue relying on imports instead of sourcing from local producers.Dangote Refinery has issued a strong critique of an unnamed international trading company for allegedly hiring a nearby depot to blend substandard petroleum products in an effort to compete with the refinery’s higher-quality output in the Nigerian market. This claim was made by Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer at Dangote Refinery, in a statement released on November 3, 2024.
Chiejina emphasized that the actions of the trading company pose a significant threat to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria, urging the government to establish protective regulations similar to those implemented by other oil-producing nations. He pointed out that countries like the U.S. and those in Europe often impose high tariffs to safeguard their domestic industries and support local job creation.
“This international trading company’s decision to blend substandard products to undercut our pricing is detrimental to the integrity of domestic refining in Nigeria,” Chiejina stated. He called on the relevant authorities to take note of these developments and protect the country’s refining sector.
The refinery has been committed to providing affordable and high-quality petroleum products in Nigeria, and Chiejina urged the public to disregard misinformation regarding petrol pricing that he attributes to those resistant to local production efforts.
This accusation follows recent tensions between the refinery and Nigeria’s regulatory bodies. Earlier, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) suggested that Dangote’s products were inferior to imports, a claim that provoked public backlash. In response, Dangote invited regulators to verify the quality of its products, maintaining confidence in its output compared to other local filling stations.
Dangote also addressed the current fuel scarcity in Nigeria, asserting that the refinery has the capacity to meet local demand, even if consumption rises to 55 million liters per day. He stressed that with the refinery’s products readily available, there is no justification for marketers to continue relying on imports instead of sourcing from local producers.