The Dangote Refinery has refuted the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) assertion that it sold petrol at ₦898 per litre. This claim, made by NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, was reported in the media and has been contested by the refinery.
In response, the Dangote Refinery has labeled the statement as misleading and malicious. Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer for Dangote, urged the public to disregard the claims and await an official announcement from the Federal Government’s Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales. This committee, appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is expected to make a formal announcement on pricing starting October 1, 2024.
Chiejina emphasized that the refinery sold the products to NNPCL in dollars, which resulted in savings compared to current import costs. The refinery’s statement also highlighted their commitment to addressing fuel scarcity by ensuring the availability of petroleum products across all local government areas in the country.
The confusion arises following NNPCL’s deployment of 300 trucks to the Dangote Refinery on September 14, 2024, in preparation for petrol distribution. The Minister of Finance, Wale Edu, had previously announced that NNPCL would be the exclusive buyer of petrol from the refinery.