Your CNG trucks can’t guarantee nationwide supply, marketers tell Dangote

Agency Report

Oil marketers have urged the Dangote Refinery to adopt an inclusive distribution model, warning that the company’s planned use of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks alone cannot guarantee nationwide supply.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, the national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, welcomed the refinery’s investment but stressed the need to work with existing downstream infrastructure.

“All we are asking for is inclusion because there is no way Dangote’s trucks will be enough to supply products to the nooks and crannies of the country,” he said.

“We are also investing in CNG trucks, so there is not so much innovation in saying Dangote is the only one with such trucks.”

Dangote Group had announced the purchase of 4,000 trucks to commence direct deliveries to marketers, with 1,000 reportedly delivered and the remainder expected from China. The plan has raised concerns that depot owners and retailers could be sidelined in the distribution chain.

Gillis Harry confirmed that PETROAN members continue to load products from the refinery but demanded formal negotiations to safeguard depot access.

The debate has also drawn public comment from billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, who advised marketers to restructure, sell redundant assets, and reinvest to remain competitive. But Gillis-Harry dismissed the suggestion, saying: “That is not a very dependable thought. Are you telling me that all the investment in the sector should just be forgotten?”

He maintained that while new methods are welcome, existing infrastructure must be integrated to ensure seamless supply nationwide.