A notable shift is occurring within Nigeria’s petroleum marketing sector, as many marketers increasingly favor imported petrol over fuel supplied by the Dangote Refinery. This trend is primarily driven by the more competitive pricing of imported fuel in the current market landscape.
On Friday, Chinedu Ukadike, spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), confirmed this emerging preference among marketers.
This development follows a recent price adjustment where imported petrol costs N839.97 per litre, undercutting Dangote Refinery’s retail price of N877 per litre by N37.
Ukadike emphasized that marketers are gravitating towards imported petrol to provide more affordable options for Nigerian consumers.
He explained that this price gap is a direct outcome of the ongoing deregulation and liberalization reforms reshaping Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry.
“The deregulated market has fostered a competitive environment. Marketers now face a clear choice: buy petrol at N877 per litre from Dangote Refinery or opt for the cheaper N839 per litre fuel from MEMAN.
“It begs the question: why would a local refinery price its product above imported alternatives?
“From the marketers’ perspective, securing the most economical fuel is essential. Lower-priced petrol sells faster,” Ukadike stated.
Market insights reveal that ex-depot prices for brands such as Emedab, Gulf Treasure, Ardova, and Bono hover around N875 per litre, marginally below Dangote Refinery’s N877 per litre rate.
By Friday evening, retail prices at petrol stations managed by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), MRS, Ranoil, Total, and Emedab in Abuja ranged between N950 and N965 per litre.
Industry experts predict that the mounting rivalry among fuel suppliers will likely exert downward pressure on retail petrol prices soon.
According to recent data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigeria’s petrol consumption reached 613.6 million litres from 2024 through October 10, 2025.
Previously, marketers expressed frustration over Dangote Refinery’s inability to supply petrol despite substantial payments made to the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility.
Furthermore, reports have pointed to logistical and supply chain difficulties at Dangote Refinery, which have exacerbated the ongoing petrol shortages nationwide.