BREAKING: Dangote refinery reduces petrol price

In a move that signals relief for fuel marketers and end-users, the Dangote Refinery has officially reduced the ex-gantry price of diesel to N865 per litre.

This represents a N15 drop from the previous rate of N880 per litre, which was in effect on Wednesday.

As exclusively predicted by The PUNCH, the refinery communicated the price adjustment to marketers and customers via an official notice on Thursday morning. A pro forma invoice reviewed by industry insiders and data from petroleumprice.ng confirmed the new price update.

This downward revision comes amid ongoing expectations that Dangote’s massive refinery complex will help stabilize fuel prices in Nigeria, especially for diesel, which plays a crucial role in powering businesses and transportation across the country.

Recall that marketers had exclusively informed our correspondent that the 650,000 barrels refinery was anticipated to lower its petrol loading costs by the end of this week, further contributing to the reduction in fuel prices.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, reassured the public of the price drop while commenting on the Federal Executive Council’s directive regarding the naira-for-crude agreement.

On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council, after an initial delay, directed the full implementation of the suspended Naira-for-Crude agreement with local refiners.

It said the initiative with local refineries is not a temporary measure but a “key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining.”

The Ministry of Finance disclosed this in a statement published on its official X handle titled, “Update on the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira Initiative.” The statement was released following a meeting on Tuesday between the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and representatives from Dangote Refinery, a major beneficiary of the agreement, to review progress and address ongoing implementation matters.

The committee said the policy is not temporary but a long-term plan to cut Nigeria’s dependence on foreign exchange for petroleum.

It added that the initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining and bolster energy security.

The statement read, “The Technical Sub-Committee on the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative convened an update meeting on Tuesday to review progress and address ongoing implementation matters.

“The stakeholders reaffirmed the government’s continued commitment to the full implementation of this strategic initiative, as directed by the Federal Executive Council.

“Thus, the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market.”

(Punch)