The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stopped selling petrol to major petroleum marketers who continue to import the product into Nigeria.
A refinery official confirmed the development, saying the decision was taken over concerns that some marketers were allegedly mixing Dangote’s Euro-5 petrol with imported fuel of different quality.
The refinery said such blending could make it difficult to distinguish between petrol supplied directly by Dangote and products that had been mixed or handled by third parties.
Dangote had previously warned that it could stop doing business with fuel importers over the issue, arguing that the practice could affect the quality and reputation of its products.
The refinery is now prioritising petrol sales to independent marketers and other buyers who do not import the product.
However, some fuel marketers have criticised the decision, accusing Dangote of attempting to restrict petrol imports. They have also challenged the refinery to provide evidence that imported petrol entering Nigeria does not meet the required quality standards.
The development has also raised concerns among some marketers about possible supply challenges, particularly for companies that rely on both domestic supplies and imported petrol.
The latest dispute comes amid an ongoing debate over the role of domestic refineries and fuel imports in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
