Marketers on Friday confirmed that Dangote Refinery’s compressed natural gas-powered trucks have started delivering fuel to their stations at no cost to them.
The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Shettima, confirmed this to our correspondent in an interview on Friday.
Recall that Dangote Refinery rolled out over 1,000 CNG trucks on Monday, saying the entire 4,000 would be in the country before October.
The direct fuel distribution scheme was initially scheduled to commence on August 15, but was delayed due to logistics challenges in China.
A total of 4,000 CNG trucks were ordered from China for delivery in Lagos. However, the plan was stalled as there were insufficient vessels to transport the trucks.
Speaking with our correspondent, the IPMAN president said independent marketers in the South West have started receiving the trucks in their stations to offload petroleum products.
Shettima said only registered marketers can receive the free delivery from Dangote Refinery.
He said the stopping of fuel sales to unregistered marketers by the refinery is not a big deal, as marketers can register on the Dangote portal anytime they are ready.
“If you don’t register, your name will not appear on the system unless you register through the portal, which the company has been announcing for a long time. But marketers can register at any time, even at night, because it’s not difficult. You will just input all your information and register. So, that one is not an issue at all,” Shettima said.
He told our correspondent that marketers in Lagos, Ogun and Ondo have confirmed the receipt of Dangote’s logistics-free fuel.
“Dangote has started the free delivery. Already, the trucks have started moving. In most parts of the Western Zone, they have already started discharging their products, since it is closer to Lagos. So the plan is moving seriously. And my marketers are very pleased with the development.
“I can confirm to you that my members have started receiving the trucks in Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Ibadan and others,” Shettima stated.
Speaking on the price, the IPMAN boss explained that prices would drop from ₦865 to ₦841 the moment petrol gets to the stations under the new arrangement.
“The prices have started coming down; even here now, when you push it to Abuja, you will see the price reduction. Wherever he discharges, all the independent marketers, anywhere he discharges, you will see there will be a price change.
“The MRS filling stations have started reducing prices, they have with independent petroleum marketers. Any marketer who applies for the product and receives it will reduce the price,” he stressed.
Credit: punchng.com
