Dangote Refinery has resumed the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, to major marketers and depot owners under a revised distribution framework approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
This development marks a clear departure from the earlier arrangement in which the refinery sold products to all categories of buyers, including independent petroleum marketers.
Under the new structure, only selected major marketers and depot owners are permitted to lift products directly from the refinery. Those cleared include Mobil/11 Plc, Total, Matrix, Rainoil, Nipco, Northwest, Ardova, Bovas, Pivot, AA Rano, AYM Shafa, NNPC, and MRS.
Industry sources told Vanguard that the refinery has returned to a controlled distribution model similar to the one implemented in October 2025, when direct access to products was limited to a small group of major marketers.
A senior industry operator who confirmed the development explained that the strategy is intended to give depot owners and large marketers greater control over supply volumes and pricing dynamics in the downstream market. Under this arrangement, independent oil marketers — including members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) — will no longer purchase directly from the refinery but will instead source PMS from depots.
Gantry price remains N774 per litre
The Chief Executive Officer of Petroleumprice.ng, Olajide Jeremiah, who monitors downstream pricing trends, confirmed that the refinery’s gantry price remains unchanged at N774 per litre.
He explained that although the price has not been adjusted, Dangote Refinery has discontinued direct sales to independent petroleum marketers, who typically buy smaller product volumes. Going forward, only depot owners with functional storage facilities and recognised major marketers will be eligible to lift products.
According to him, approval to lift PMS now follows defined procedures, requiring buyers to operate approved depot infrastructure or meet the criteria for major marketer status before clearance is granted.
He added that the refinery will distribute products through a combination of coastal vessel shipments, ship-to-ship transactions, and gantry loading, strictly for authorised buyers. Depot owners will then handle onward distribution from their facilities and determine applicable ex-depot prices.
