DANGOTE oil refinery begun supplying the Nigerian domestic market with petroleum products, such as diesel and aviation jet fuel on Tuesday, April 2.  

   The Head of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Maigandi, told Reuters that local oil marketers set the price at N1,225 ($0.96) per litre for diesel after securing a bulk purchase agreement, prior to adding their mark-up. 

Maigandi said the association’s members control about 150,000 retail stations across Nigeria, while the smaller Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DPPMAN) added that its members were seeking letters of credit to buy petroleum products from Dangote. 

“Our members are discussing with banks and these talks have reached advanced stages, when we have our letters of credit. We will begin lifting products,” DPPMAN Executive Secretary, Femi Adewole, said. 

An executive from the company and various fuel marketing organisations told Reuters that oil marketers had started loading diesel from the refinery. 

   A group executive at Dangote, Devakumar Edwin, confirmed that the company had begun distributing diesel and jet fuel to the local market, adding: “We have substantial quantities. Products are being evacuated both by sea and road. Ships are lining up one after another to load diesel and aviation jet fuel.  

“Ships load a minimum of 26 million litres, though we try to push for 37 million litres vessels, for ease of operations.”