Dangote Refinery has raised concerns over an international trading company allegedly using a nearby depot to “blend substandard products” aimed at undercutting Dangote’s premium production in Nigeria.
This accusation, disclosed in a statement by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer at Dangote Refinery on November 3, 2024, underscores the refinery’s concern for the domestic refining sector’s stability and growth.
Chiejina expressed disappointment over the depot’s impact on Nigeria’s refining industry, arguing that other oil-producing nations protect their local industries through regulations and policies. He suggested that Nigeria should consider similar measures, noting that in countries like the U.S. and across Europe, high tariffs are applied to protect domestic production in sectors such as electric vehicles and microchips.
In the statement, Chiejina emphasized that Dangote Refinery is dedicated to supplying high-quality, affordable petroleum products in Nigeria. He urged the public to disregard misinformation spread by parties allegedly interested in outsourcing jobs abroad and worsening local poverty.
This criticism comes amid ongoing tensions between Dangote Refinery and regulatory bodies. A few months earlier, Dangote’s CEO, Aliko Dangote, met with executives from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) in Abuja to address the challenges in Nigeria’s oil sector.
Earlier, the NMDPRA claimed that Dangote Refinery’s products were of lower quality than imported ones, a statement that sparked public outcry and defense from Dangote Refinery. Many Nigerians viewed NMDPRA’s comments as dismissive of a significant local industry, asserting that they misrepresented the true quality of Dangote’s output. In response, Dangote invited regulators to test the refinery’s products, asserting that they met higher standards than most fuel available at filling stations across Nigeria.
Recently, Dangote addressed Nigeria’s fuel scarcity, urging the NNPC and other marketers to source their supply from Dangote Refinery, which he claimed could meet national demand, even if it rose to 55 million liters per day. He noted that, with marketers already importing petrol, there should be no issue in sourcing products from a domestic supplier. Dangote further argued that with their products readily accessible, there is no justifiable reason for marketers to avoid procuring fuel from the refinery.