In a swift change of plan, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced it will restart its self-service fuel sales this coming Tuesday, the 23rd of September.
This decision reverses a policy introduced just days earlier that had forced marketers to collect their petroleum products exclusively through the refinery’s own delivery service.
The refinery communicated this U-turn in an email to its partners on Friday, a copy of which was seen by SPEAR NEWS.
The message explained that while marketers would be allowed back to the gantry to collect fuel themselves, the company’s free delivery scheme would also remain fully operational. Marketers were actively encouraged to register for this service, which brings fuel directly to their stations at no extra cost.
The company apologised for any inconvenience the initial suspension had caused. The original move, announced on the 18th of September, was intended to push more marketers towards the free delivery system. The refinery had argued that this would improve efficiency, ensure a more stable supply, and help stop dealings with unregistered sellers.
However, the suspension had sparked significant anxiety amongst independent fuel marketers who rely on picking up the fuel themselves. Many had not yet signed up for the delivery scheme and feared the change would cause major disruptions and even lead to fuel shortages at their stations.
The policy had also deepened a standoff between the refinery and major industry groups. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had accused Dangote of refusing to allow its truck drivers to unionise.
Meanwhile, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria had criticised the free delivery plan, arguing it created a monopoly by forcing everyone to use Dangote’s own transport fleet.
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