Oil marketers have said that they are not up against Dangote Refinery, as they are ready to purchase refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the facility.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, the President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Gilli Billis-Harry, said oil marketers would buy products from the local facility if all market indices were fully agreed upon.
Billy-Harry also disclosed that marketers will be holding a meeting with Dangote Refinery this week, to firm up discussions and arrangements on the possibilities of a smooth working relationship.
READ ALSO: Petrol Pricing: PETROAN Accuses Dangote Of Trying To Stifle Competition
“There are no gloves that are off. What it is right now is that PETROAN among other stakeholders that is patriotic and willing to serve Nigeria in the best way will not at any time be denigrated. We have never removed our gloves. Dangote is one of us. We love the fact that he has made this kind of sacrifice in Nigeria. We are very proud of him.
“However, after the pride, we need to get into business. We are surprised that we have been doing business in the airwaves. And that is not how this business should be done. We have NNPCL that has been dealing with us, and there are very simple procedures as to how to get this business to work.
“We are letting the true information out in the public space so that everybody will sit and decide what to do. E want to patronize Dangote refinery. We have no reason not to patronise him,” he said.
The clarification comes after PETROAN accused Dangote Refinery of trying to suppress competitors in the downstream sector.
The marketers’ accusation follows Dangote Refinery’s claim that marketers were complaining about its petrol pricing because they wanted to import substandard products at cheaper rates.
The refinery had in a statement on Sunday disclosed that it sells petrol at N990 per litre in trucks and N960 per litre into ships. It said its pricing was in comparison with the international selling rate in the global market.
The disclosure by Dangote Refinery was after both PETROAN and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) had said that they could buy petrol at cheaper rates than Dangote rates.
