In a recent press statement, the Dangote Group has firmly denied claims made by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) regarding the sale price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The NNPCL spokesperson, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, alleged that Dangote sold PMS at an exorbitant rate of N898 per litre. This statement, according to Dangote Group, is both “misleading and mischievous,” aimed at undermining their significant achievements in addressing Nigeria’s long-standing energy issues.
Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, emphasized, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement attributed to NNPCL spokesperson, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, that we sell our PMS at N898 per litre to the NNPCL. This statement is both misleading and mischievous, deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement recorded today, September 15, 2024, towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedeviled the economy in the past 50 years.”
The Dangote Group clarified that their current stock of crude was procured in dollars, and any pricing decisions would follow a formal announcement by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries. This committee, appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will commence its operations on October 1, 2024. “We urge Nigerians to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing,” Chiejina added.
Furthermore, the Dangote Group highlighted that their sales to NNPCL were conducted in dollars, resulting in significant savings compared to current import costs. This move is expected to ensure the availability of petrol across all local government areas in Nigeria, regardless of their remoteness. “With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country regardless of their remote nature,” Chiejina assured.
The statement concluded with a commitment to ending the endemic fuel scarcity in Nigeria and providing quality petroleum products to the populace. “We assure Nigerians of the availability of quality petroleum products and putting an end to the endemic fuel scarcity in the country,” Chiejina stated.
