Dangote Petroleum Refinery has again slashed the ex-depot price of petrol to ₦825 per litre — a ₦10 drop from the previous ₦835.
This price cut, confirmed by industry sources on Monday, underscores the refinery’s strategic play to outpace the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited in the race for market dominance.
The pricing adjustment signals a subtle yet growing price war in Nigeria’s downstream sector, with Dangote’s 650,000 barrels-per-day facility now playing a central role in reshaping the country’s refined fuel landscape.
This move comes on the heels of a May 8 meeting between Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, and Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd. During the meeting, both parties issued a joint statement pledging cooperation and healthy competition in support of Nigeria’s energy security.
Despite the public show of unity, the latest price cut reveals that both companies are keenly aware of the high-stakes competition for market share, especially with the federal government now encouraging local refining to reduce reliance on imports.
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While Dangote has repeatedly emphasized that his refinery is not in direct competition with NNPC — stating “NNPC is part and parcel of our business” — industry watchers see the steady drop in Dangote’s petrol price as a calculated effort to undercut the national oil company and attract more independent marketers.
This latest reduction follows a similar announcement in April, when Dangote’s partners adjusted pump prices to ₦890 per litre in Lagos, down from ₦920. Around the same period, NNPC also made marginal price cuts at its retail stations in key cities like Lagos and Abuja, indicating a subtle back-and-forth between the two energy giants.
Although end-users are yet to see significant relief at filling stations across the country, oil marketers say Dangote’s pricing strategy could eventually force a broader market response — provided distribution bottlenecks and foreign exchange constraints are also addressed.
This development comes at a time when Nigerians are increasingly frustrated with persistent fuel price volatility, years after the government removed petrol subsidies. With the local refining sector finally gaining momentum in 2025 after multiple delays, the pressure is now on both Dangote and NNPC to deliver not just in volume, but in affordability and accessibility.
TheCable
