Notwithstanding the availability of Dangote Refinery gasoline, the Nigerian Crude Oil Refiners Association has protested against an attempt by petroleum marketers to import Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol).
Eche Idoko, the CORAN publicity secretary, revealed this in a statement denouncing the action.
His remarks coincide with the discovery of a report claiming that, as a result of the Federal Government’s complete liberalization of the downstream oil industry, 141 million liters of PMS are being transported to Nigeria via oil boats.
Remember that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company lifted Dangote Petrol on Monday and released a new pricing list for all of its retail locations nationwide.
The NNPCL reports that depending on the area, the price adjustments will result in the sale of gasoline for between N950 and N1,019.22 per liter.
This comes after on Sunday, NNPCL trucks successfully removed gasoline from the Dangote Refinery.
A pricing dispute has arisen between NNPC and Dangote Refinery as a result of the development. The state-owned company NNPC had insisted on purchasing Dangote Petrol at a pump price of N898 a liter, but the refinery located in Lagos, which produces 650,000 barrels of oil every day, disagreed.
But in their most recent action, gasoline marketers—who were dissatisfied with Dangote Refinery’s pricing structure—had to take importation into account.
In response to the news, CORAN said that some imported gasoline was blended in Malta or Togo and was of inferior quality.
Concerns over gasoline imports prompted NMDPRA spokesperson George Ene-Ita to make this revelation.He emphasized that import license holders were free to import PMS, but he also mentioned that the items needed to pass three significant agency tests.
Aliko Dangote, the president of the Dangote Group, had previously declared in May 2024 that Nigeria will no longer import fuel after the opening of his refinery.