Dangote Refinery Raises Ex-Depot Rate, Orders Marketers to Pay N100 Extra Per Litre
- Dangote Refinery has raised Premium Motor Spirit price to N799 per litre, impacting previously processed orders
- Marketers face confusion as loading authorisations are cancelled, requiring fresh approvals under new pricing regime
- Also, retail petrol prices in Abuja spike to N910 per litre as market reacts to refinery's price adjustments
Petroleum marketers lifting Premium Motor Spirit from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have been directed to pay an additional N100 per litre on already-processed orders following a sudden upward review of the refinery’s ex-depot price.
Findings showed that marketers who had completed payment and secured loading authorisations at N699 per litre are now required to top up to N799 per litre before product loading.
Source: Getty Images
The refinery withdrew a temporary festive price support and invalidated previously issued loading approvals, triggering confusion and tension at the gantry.
Festive Price support withdrawn
The price review followed the suspension of petrol loading activities at the refinery’s gantry late Monday night.
Several trucks were reportedly left stranded as operations were halted to reconcile outstanding volumes and payments after the new pricing took effect.
In a notice issued to customers by the refinery’s Group Commercial Operations Department, Dangote Refinery explained that the earlier pricing was a deliberate and temporary intervention during the festive season and could no longer be sustained.
“With the festive period concluded, PMS prices have been modestly realigned to sustainable levels. Under the current alignment, our PMS gantry price is N799 per litre,” the notice stated.
Loading authorisations cancelled
The refinery further informed marketers that volumes tied to existing orders would be adjusted to reflect the new price.
All unutilised Authority to Collect documents and fancards were cancelled, requiring marketers to reprogramme fresh loading approvals for any outstanding balance.
An earlier internal circular also confirmed that all active PMS deal recaps had been nullified, effectively resetting ongoing transactions under the new pricing regime.
Marketers were given the option of paying the N100 per litre differential to lift their full volumes or accepting reduced volumes calculated at the revised rate, factoring in logistics and financing costs.
Operational challenges persist
Industry sources say the pricing adjustment comes amid ongoing operational constraints at the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery.
Persistent technical issues linked to the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit have reportedly kept the facility operating below full capacity, a situation that could extend into the first half of 2026 if unresolved.
These challenges have complicated the refinery’s ability to consistently meet domestic demand while maintaining price stability, despite its growing dominance in local fuel supply.
Pump prices jump in Abuja
The impact of the ex-depot price increase was quickly felt at retail outlets, particularly in Abuja, where pump prices surged to as high as N910 per litre within hours.
Market checks showed that Optima Energy stations at the EFCC Junction and near Dunamis Church raised prices from N815 to N910 per litre.
An AP station at Airport Junction sold petrol at about N899 per litre, up from N815.
Other stations adjusted prices within the N800 to N850 range. Conoil outlets along Airport Road sold at around N800 per litre, while Matrix stations increased prices to N850.
Some Shafa stations maintained prices close to N815 in select locations.
Dangote’s growing market influence
The swift response by retailers highlights the increasing sensitivity of pump prices to movements at Dangote Refinery’s gantry.
As Africa’s largest single-train refinery and a major supplier of locally refined petrol, Dangote now plays a central role in shaping pricing dynamics in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum market.
Source: Getty Images
While the refinery has significantly reduced dependence on fuel imports, its pricing decisions now transmit almost instantly to consumers, underscoring its expanding influence across the sector.
NNPC increases petrol prices in Abuja and Lagos
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has increased the pump price of petrol across its retail outlets in Lagos and Abuja, deepening pressure on consumers already grappling with rising living costs.
Checks by Legit.ng on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, confirmed that petrol now sells for N835 per litre in Lagos and N839 per litre in Abuja at NNPC filling stations.
The latest adjustment represents a N50 increase in Lagos, up from N785 per litre, while prices in Abuja rose by N20 per litre. The increase was implemented across several NNPC retail outlets in both cities.
Source: Legit.ng
