Dangote gantry prices pull marketers back to refinery as depot gaps widen

Heavy truck traffic has returned to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as petroleum marketers increase purchases of petrol and diesel, drawn by the refinery’s lower gantry prices compared with several Lagos depots. Dangote’s gantry prices have remained at ₦1,165 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and ₦1,570 per litre for Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), keeping the refinery among the most competitive sources for bulk buyers.

The renewed activity is particularly noticeable in diesel, with trucks lining up to load AGO as marketers take advantage of the growing price difference between Dangote’s supply rates and competing depot prices.

Price gaps across Lagos depots

Dangote-linked marketers are reselling PMS at about ₦1,175 per litre and AGO at ₦1,580 per litre, rates that remain competitive against several depot offers in Lagos. Data reviewed by Petroleumprice.ng showed that PMS prices on August 18 ranged from ₦1,167 per litre at Pinnacle to ₦1,199 at NIPCO. African Terminal and Integrated were both listed at ₦1,195 per litre.

The price gap is even wider for diesel. Pinnacle’s AGO was listed at ₦1,650 per litre, while several depots, including Gulf Treasure, Integrated, African Terminal, Ardova and others, quoted around ₦1,660 to ₦1,665 per litre. That leaves Dangote’s ₦1,570 gantry price as much as ₦95 below some competing depot offers, creating a stronger incentive for high-volume marketers to buy directly from the refinery.

For PMS, the difference is smaller but still meaningful for large-volume buyers. Dangote’s ₦1,165 price is ₦30 below Pinnacle’s ₦1,195 offer and ₦34 below NIPCO’s ₦1,199 rate.

Refinery competition reshapes downstream market

The refinery’s competitive pricing is therefore influencing purchasing decisions across the Lagos downstream market, as marketers seek cheaper supplies and better margins. The surge in truck activity also suggests that buyers are increasingly willing to source directly from the refinery rather than depend entirely on higher-priced depot supplies, according to a report by PetroleumPriceNG.

For marketers, the lower procurement costs could provide room to adjust pump prices, particularly where transportation and other logistics expenses do not wipe out the price advantage. Dangote’s sustained pricing strategy is consequently putting pressure on depot operators and could intensify competition in the downstream petroleum market.

Legit.ng earlier reported that petrol depot prices rose across Nigeria's key petroleum hubs on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, as global crude oil prices pushed towards $90 per barrel, adding fresh cost pressure to the downstream fuel market. Data from multiple depots showed widespread price increases in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Warri. Checks by Petroleumprice.ng showed that Pivot, Integrated, and African Terminal increased their petrol prices from ₦1,168 per litre on Monday to ₦1,200 per litre on Tuesday.

For Nigerian businesses and consumers, the widening gap between Dangote’s gantry rates and depot prices could mean softer pump prices in the coming weeks, especially for diesel, which heavily affects transport and production costs. If depot operators respond by cutting their own rates, the downstream market could see a fresh round of price adjustments in favour of buyers.