Petrol Price Drops As Marketers Sell Imported Fuel Below Dangote Price
The landing cost of petrol in Nigeria has dropped from about N1,100 as of last month to between N978 to N1,000.
Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) Publicity Secretary, Dr Joseph Obele, made this known in a chat with PUNCH.
The association vowed that they would sell imported petrol below the price offered by the Dangote refinery.
The association said its petrol would also be cheaper than that of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
READ ALSO :Importing petrol cheaper than buying from Dangote Refinery – IPMAN official
Dr Obele, however, said that the price of Dangote PMS might be higher because the refinery was still producing with the imported crude it bought at a premium.
He said the association had struck deals with some international fuel suppliers to import PMS at a good price, adding that the product would arrive in Nigeria at a price around N800/litre.
“PETROAN is an association, but we have incorporated our limited liability company called PETROAN Limited. We have got the licence from the Corporate Affairs Commission, and we have applied to the NMDPRA to licence us and give us authority to import. So, as we get that authority to import, I think we will import from the best market.
“And it is good also for the general public to understand that the landing costs in all the nations are not the same. PETROAN has got a partner from the international market, that the product will arrive here at close to N800/litre. So, since PETROAN has the best value for Nigerian citizens, we are calling on the regulatory agency to release our authority to import in no distant time so our first stock will come in.
“And we assure you that PETROAN will sell far less than Dangote. It will sell at prices far less than NNPC. Right now, NNPC is selling to us at N1,040/litre. PETROAN will not sell like that, because we have negotiated. And all our partners and foreign counterparts are on standby to make sure we give Nigerians the best value,” Obele said.
The associations spokesperson stated that he would not be able to disclose the exact quantity to be imported, but stressed that PMS imported by PETROAN would be cheaper.
Obele explained that Dangote was only selling to NNPC directly, while NNPC sold to marketers.
“I am telling you that that the position of NNPC as a middleman is still active till tomorrow. NNPC has refused to announce how much Dangote is giving. Dangote has also refused to announce how much he is selling to NNPC. So, I think there is an agreement that they don’t announce it.
“All we know is how much NNPC is selling it to us. However, the transaction between the two is not in the public domain. NNPC has refused to mention it. And the general public has said, please make these things open,” he said.
Speaking on the landing cost of N978/litre, he emphasised that the landing cost differs from country to country.
“N978 to N1,000, that’s the landing cost. It was about N1,100 as of last month. But because of the drop in the selling price of crude oil in the international market, PMS has witnessed a downward review in the international market too. So, I think we should also witness a downward review,“ he said.
When reminded that the NNPC just jerked up its price, Obele responded, “No, the issue we have is that the only functional refinery we have is the Dangote refinery. And Dangote has announced to everyone who wants to hear that the crude oil stock he is still working on was the one he bought from the international market; that the naira-for-crude stock, he has not started refining that. So, we don’t expect a downward review from someone who bought old stock when crude oil was selling for $80 and $78 per barrel.
“So, now that it has dropped to $72, we are not expecting to review the price automatically. Because you can put it to us that it is still trading with the old stock. But recently, the price of crude oil has dropped. We hope that whoever is buying the new stock of this new trade should review the price downward. But if what Dangote has used to refine the stock available is the old stock got when crude oil was still selling at $80 per barrel, we don’t expect him to review downward.
“Until the refinery commences production with the stock it just received last week in naira, that’s when people can criticise it. But at the moment, I think the selling rate reflects the former cost of crude oil.”
Meanwhile, oil marketers, on Friday, revealed that the price of petrol, produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was between N1,015 and N1,028/litre depending on the quantity being purchased.
Data released by the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria on Thursday showed that the landing cost of petrol was N978.01/litre as of October 31, 2024.
It stated that the landing cost of diesel was N1,069.97/litre, while that of aviation fuel was put at N1,119.67/litre.
The landing cost of these white products is the unit price of the imported commodities on landing on Nigeria’s shores.
Since the Dangote refinery commenced the release of refined petroleum products domestically, it had refused to announce the cost of the commodity despite several demands for the price.
However, a major marketer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, confirmed that the cost of petrol from the Dangote refinery was higher than that of imported PMS.
According to the official, the refinery currently sells to oil marketers making bulk purchase at N1,015/litre and small buyers at N1,028/litre.
The major marketer also disclosed that three cargoes carrying petroleum products recently arrived and had been discharged at seaports along the nation’s borders.
“Dangote is selling to bulk buyers at N1,015/litre, but to marketers who are not buying in bulk, the refinery is selling at N1,028/litre.
“But imported PMS is cheaper than the cost of Dangote’ own, and that is why he is doing all he can to ensure that the government stops the importation of fuel,” the dealer stated.
When contacted, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina, said the figures being bandied were not correct.
He described reports on Dangote petrol price as fake news, wondering where they emanated from.
“This is fake news. People are just posting what they like,“ he said.
Chiejina, however, declined to give the actual price.
