- Safiu Kehinde
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has welcomed Dangote Refinery’s announced plan to distribute petrol and diesel free of charge to marketers across the country.
Dangote, on Sunday, disclosed the procurement of 4,000 brand-new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers for the take-off of the free distribution initiative on August 15, 2025.
This had however been met with strong disapproval by oil marketers under the aegis of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
The oil marketers reportedly held that the initiative would deprive depot owners, truck operators, and retail outlets who have special deals for the direct delivery of petrol and diesel to large corporations and multinationals.
As against the PETROAN’s agitation, IPMAN National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, held that Dangote has the right to find a better way to get his products to the marketers.
Ukadike made this known while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Friday.
The IPMAN’s spokesperson hailed billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote for seeing a problem in the sector and deciding to tackle it.
“If you look at the Dangote statement, it is a strong policy statement, if you read down that statement you will understand that he foresaw a lot of problems in the oil and gas industry and also decided to tackle it.
“It is something that we welcome with a lot of cheers because it is going to bring fuel cheaper at our doorpost,” Ukadike said.
He added that Dangote’s new plan will relieve marketers of unnecessary costs.
“Our pipelines have gone for years; nobody is talking about the pipelines wired all over the country from all the whole 21 depots. Products are not being moved.
“We are suffering the brunt of bringing these products from the seashores of the country where DAPMAN (Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria) members have their tank farms.
“But if you look at Dangote’s statement you will see that a heavy load has been lifted out of the independent marketers,” the IPMAN’s spokesperson said.