Petrol: Dangote Refinery clarifies IPMAN hasn’t made payments as discussions still ongoing

*The Dangote Petroleum Refinery says the company has not received any payments from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria to purchase its refined petroleum products, stating the NNPC Limited has neither approved nor authorised Dangote Refinery to release Premium Motor Spirit, also called petrol to IPMAN members

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

In setting the record straight in the company’s emerging business relationship with oil marketers, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited has said the company has not received any payments from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to purchase refined petroleum products.

ConsumerConnect reports the oil marketers alleged that they paid about N40 billion to lift petrol from the Dangote Refinery for days but to no avail, accusing the company that it has no 500 million litres of petroleum products in reserves.

In response to the misleading information in some sections of the media during the week however, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer at Dangote Industries Limited, October 31, 2024, said although discussions are ongoing with IPMAN, “it is misleading to suggest that they (IPMAN Members) are experiencing difficulties loading refined products from our Petroleum Refinery.

Chiejina stated that Dangote Refinery currently, has “no direct business dealings with them.”

He averred: “Consequently, we cannot be held responsible for any payments made to other entities.

“The payment in mention has been made through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and not us.”

The Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer said: “In the same vein, NNPCL has neither approved nor authorised us to release our Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to IPMAN.

“We would like to emphasise that we can meet the nation’s demand for all petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel.”

Chiejina further noted: “At present, we can load 2,900 trucks per day and we have also been evacuating petroleum products by sea.

“We advise IPMAN to register with us and make direct payment as we have more than enough petroleum products to satisfy the needs of their members.

He as well said the Dangote Refinery believes “it is instructive for all stakeholders to refrain from making unfounded statements in the media, as that could undermine the economic re-engineering efforts of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “Conducting business through public speculation is counterproductive and unpatriotic.”

The statement added: “In the interest of our country, we encourage all stakeholders to collaborate, and heed the advice of President Tinubu, while promoting a unified approach, rather than engaging in media conflicts and needless propaganda.