Dealers Demand N850/Litre Diesel As Dangote, Marketers Meet

Oil marketers have sought for a downward review of price of the Automotive Gas Oil, popularly known as diesel as Dangote Petroleum Refinery commences production.

The marketers requested that the price of diesel be fixed between N700 and N850 per litre as operators plan to meet managers of the refinery next week.

The price reduction was in communion with the largest downstream marketing association, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria also called for a reduction in the price of Dangote diesel from N1,250 per liter, adding that the product is locally produced in Nigeria.

The groups, who also called for the intervention of the Federal Government, advised the managers of the refinery to consider the high cost of logistics required to transport the product from Lagos where the refinery is located to other parts of the country where the product is needed.

The product is being landed in Nigeria by some importers at N1,250 per litre following the appreciation of the naira against the dollar. This, according to the marketers should be the reason why Dangote refinery that produces diesel in Nigeria should reduce her price.

The marketers under the aegis of IPMAN and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, and PETROAN held separate meetings on April 8 to deliberate on the pricing of petroleum products from the refinery, as well as other issues.

Officials of the multi-billion dollar plant and oil dealers had confirmed that the product was dispensed to marketers at between N1,225/litre and N1,300/litre depending on the volume of purchase.

Reacting to the cost of the commodity, the National Public Relations Officer, IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, thanked the refinery for the commencement in the release of refined products.

Ukadike adminished the managers of the plant to review the cost of the product downward, providing reasons why the price of Dangote diesel should be cheaper than what was imported.