Dangote Refinery expands free fuel delivery

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, a subsidiary of Dangote Group, has expanded its free petroleum product delivery initiative to Kano, Imo, Anambra and Nigeria — Nasarawa States, extending a programme that already covered Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Kaduna, Nigeria — Delta States and Nigeria — Abuja. The refinery absorbs the cost of transporting petroleum products to independent marketers, thereby reducing distribution expenses and enabling marketers to lower pump prices. Aliko Dangote, Group Executive Director for Commercial Operations, Oil and Gas, WAEP and Fertiliser, stated that the initiative aims to ensure the benefits of domestic refining translate into savings for businesses and consumers. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), through its National Publicity Secretary Chinedu Ukadike, welcomed the expansion, noting it alleviates financial hold-ups and improves cash flow for marketers. The initiative is seen as a demonstration of the benefits of competition and deregulation in Nigeria's downstream petroleum sector, as the refinery, with a capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, continues to supply the domestic market and expand internationally.