In a bold move aimed at sustaining its dominance in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has further slashed the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from ₦840 to ₦820 per litre.
This marks the second price reduction in less than two weeks, following an earlier cut from ₦880 to ₦840 on June 30, 2025. The latest reduction took effect on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, and was confirmed by refinery spokesperson Tony Chiejina, who described it as part of ongoing efforts to make fuel more affordable and accessible nationwide.
With this latest price adjustment, filling stations such as MRS Oil & Gas, Ardova Plc, Heyden, and others in special supply agreements with Dangote Refinery are expected to further lower their pump prices below ₦880, to reflect the marginal drop in the ex-depot rate.
The ₦20 reduction also builds on the refinery’s recent initiatives to ease fuel distribution nationwide. On June 15, 2025, the Lagos-based $20 billion refinery announced the free distribution of petrol and diesel to registered marketers, bulk dealers, and major users across the country. The company also revealed it had acquired 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers to kickstart this national outreach by August 15, 2025.
In addition, Dangote Refinery has rolled out a credit facility for large buyers: any marketer purchasing 500,000 litres of petrol can now access an additional 500,000 litres on credit, repayable over two weeks with a valid bank guarantee.
However, these expansionist moves have drawn criticism from independent depot owners, fuel truck operators, and retail outlet owners, who argue that the aggressive pricing and distribution strategy could potentially wipe out smaller players unable to compete with Dangote’s deep pockets and direct-to-retail pipeline.
As Nigeria continues its shift toward deregulated energy markets, stakeholders are closely watching whether Dangote’s ambitious rollouts will stabilize pump prices nationwide or spark further controversy in a fragile fuel distribution ecosystem.