A reliable source, who provided this information exclusively to one of our reporters on Friday, indicated that the management of the refinery, which has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is in advanced discussions with these countries to initiate fuel shipments.
Reports suggest that four additional African nations—Niger Republic, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic—are also in negotiations with the refinery.
Furthermore, it has been reliably reported that more countries are anticipated to express interest in sourcing fuel from the refinery in the upcoming months.
Recently, Ghana has shown interest in purchasing petrol from the $20 billion Lekki-based facility.
Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chairman of the National Petroleum Authority in Ghana, stated that the agreement with the Dangote refinery would eliminate his country's monthly fuel imports from Europe, which currently amount to $400 million.
“I can confirm that discussions are indeed at an advanced stage with Ghana, Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, while initial talks are underway with Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic,” the source revealed.
When questioned about the reluctance of marketers to purchase from Dangote despite its capacity, the source suggested that the dealers may have ulterior motives.
“However, between now and January 2025, their intentions will become clear. The Dangote refinery represents a sustainable solution for petrol supply in this country and has the capability to meet the entire demand,” the source added.
In the meantime, local marketers have decided to continue importing fuel from abroad.
Last week, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria reiterated their commitment to fuel importation, citing concerns over the high prices at which the Dangote refinery sells fuel to Nigerians.
Marketers are currently seeking approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to facilitate the importation of more affordable petrol.
They contend that bringing in cheaper petrol would alleviate the financial burden on consumers who are still grappling with price increases following the elimination of the fuel subsidy.
To move forward, marketers have requested access to foreign exchange from the CBN and necessary permits from the NMDPRA to ensure adherence to fuel quality and regulatory requirements.
However, the NMDPRA has denied allegations that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) were granted the ability to obtain petrol import licenses as associations.
An anonymous official from the NMDPRA informed our correspondent that the agency cannot approve import license requests from oil marketers as a collective entity, but only on an individual basis.
The official emphasized that individual applications are mandated by law and cannot be bypassed.
“The reality is that they cannot apply for a petrol import license as a group or association. Each marketer must submit their own application to be considered for the license. Joint applications will not be accepted, so if individual marketers do not apply, we cannot grant approval.”
In response, Dr. Joseph Obele, the National Public Relations Officer of PETROAN, stated that the association submitted an application for the import license approximately one month ago through its newly established trading division. He characterized Dangote as a “fierce competitor” willing to take extreme measures to dominate the market.
“You should know that Dangote is just out to close all the doors and windows so that no person enters the market. He is determined to ensure that nobody enters the market as a competitor. We assure Nigerians that as soon as the regulatory agency approves our authority to import, this price of PMS that is causing pain to Nigerians right now will crash to the barest minimum.
The product we intend to import is among the finest available, surpassing Dangote's offerings. However, he continues to mislead Nigerians by claiming that no incoming products can match his quality.
We urge Nigerians to advocate for the dismantling of monopolies to free the market. If we do not take action, we will remain ensnared in a cycle of exploitation. The only way to escape this predicament is to break down all forms of monopoly, and we are calling on the public to support this initiative, Obele stated.