Abuja Filling Stations Shut as Dangote Refinery Fuel Rollout Faces Delays

Filling stations across Nigeria’s capital have remained closed for four consecutive days, with operators blaming the delayed distribution of petrol from the $19bn Dangote Refinery.

Retail outlets owned by MRS and Conoil in Abuja confirmed on Monday that their tanks had run dry, leaving motorists stranded and sparking fresh concerns about supply disruptions.

“We are yet to receive fuel or diesel for four days. We were told products would begin moving from Tuesday, so hopefully by Wednesday they may arrive,” a station manager, who asked not to be named, told DAILY POST.

The Dangote Group had earlier announced that Conoil, Eternal Super, Nepal Energies, Kifayat Global Energy, and Riquest and Gas were among its partners for the nationwide fuel distribution scheme. It also promised that 1,000 compressed natural gas trucks would begin operations on September 15 — a rollout that has yet to materialise.

The refinery suspended self-collection gantry sales of petrol, previously fixed at ₦820 per litre, but confirmed sales to customers would resume from Tuesday.

‘Dangote cannot go it alone’ – Retailers warn

The President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, warned that the downstream sector could not be dominated by one player.

“Transporting petroleum products nationwide is a Herculean task. If one company insists on building the refinery, running the depots, and controlling retail outlets, it will cause disruption,” he said.

He urged Dangote Refinery to work with marketers, stressing that collaboration and division of labour were essential for efficiency. He cautioned that Nigerians should be alert to the risks of allowing Dangote to dominate fuel distribution in the same way he controls cement and sugar markets, where prices remain high despite his expansive logistics network.

Industry pushback

The standoff between Dangote Refinery, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has deepened.

Marketers accuse the refinery of seeking to stifle competition, while Dangote counters that some players are inflating subsidy claims — a charge they deny.

Fuel prices currently range from ₦865 per litre in Lagos to about ₦920 in Abuja, adding pressure on households already reeling from soaring living costs.