Dangote Refinery Stops Petrol Sales to Marketers That Import Fuel

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stopped selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to major petroleum marketers that import fuel into Nigeria. The refinery is now prioritising independent marketers and other distributors that do not import petrol.

A source at the refinery confirmed the development, saying Dangote no longer wants to supply petrol to companies that combine its products with imported fuel.

Why Dangote Stopped the Sales

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the refinery was worried that its high-quality petrol could be mixed with imported products of lower quality.

"We are not selling petrol to those who are importing, since they are trying to blend our high-quality products with their ultra-low-quality imported products," the source said.

Another source said the refinery is now selling to independent marketers and others who are not importing.

Dangote had previously warned that it could stop doing business with fuel importers it accused of mixing its Euro-5 petrol with imported products. The refinery said such practices could make it difficult to identify fuel supplied directly by the refinery after it has been blended or handled by third parties.

The move is believed to be linked to recent legal action by some petroleum marketers seeking to ensure that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) continues to issue import licences. The affected marketers are reportedly concerned that they could face supply difficulties if they are prevented from importing petrol while the Dangote refinery is unwilling to sell to them.

Marketers Push Back

Petroleum importers and marketers have criticised the refinery's position, describing it as an attempt to restrict petrol imports into Nigeria.

Some marketers argued that Dangote should provide evidence to support claims that imported petrol entering the Nigerian market fails to meet required quality standards.

One marketer said a supplier should not determine whether consumers can combine petrol purchased from different sources. Using motorists as an example, he said a driver could buy petrol from a TotalEnergies filling station and later buy more fuel from an MRS station when the tank is nearly empty. He argued that neither company could realistically stop the consumer from mixing the two products in the vehicle's tank.

Another marketer maintained that the Federal Government must prioritise adequate petrol supply and consumer protection, arguing that imports may still be required whenever domestic production is insufficient.

Supply Numbers Behind the Dispute

The dispute comes as Nigeria's downstream petroleum market adjusts to rising domestic refining capacity and changing relationships between local refiners, fuel importers and petroleum marketers.

NMDPRA data on Nigeria's petrol imports, domestic refinery supply and fuel consumption in August 2026 showed Dangote Refinery supplied 35.87 million litres of petrol daily to the domestic market. Imports fell by 26% as domestic supply rose, while recorded consumption declined by 14%.

For marketers, the standoff raises a practical question about where they turn when Dangote will not supply them and imports are harder to secure. Any tightening in supply usually feeds into pump prices, which matters for transport costs and the price of goods across the country.