Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited has announced the suspension of self-collection gantry sales of petroleum products at its Lagos facility. The directive, which took effect on Thursday, September 18, 2025, means that only registered marketers under the company’s Free Delivery Scheme will be able to access its products.
In a memo from the Group Commercial Operations Department, Dangote Refinery instructed its marketing partners to halt all payments linked to Product Fulfillment Instructions for self-collection. The company warned that any payments made after the effective date would not be honoured. It added that the adjustment was necessary to streamline operations and urged marketers to embrace its Free Delivery Scheme, which guarantees direct delivery of products to retail outlets.
The refinery stressed that the Free Delivery Scheme remains fully operational and open to both existing and newly onboarded customers. While acknowledging that the decision could inconvenience marketers used to lifting products directly from the gantry, management apologised and assured partners of a smoother delivery experience under the new structure.
This operational change comes at a time of growing tension between Dangote Refinery and major industry stakeholders. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has accused the company of resisting unionisation of its truck drivers despite a government-brokered agreement. Similarly, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has criticised the Free Delivery Scheme, arguing that it compels marketers to rely on Dangote’s transport fleet at commercial rates.
In response, Dangote has defended the initiative, saying it was introduced to stabilise fuel supply, curb product diversion, and cut costs. The company has also rejected DAPPMAN’s position that it should absorb logistics and shipping expenses, insisting that such demands amount to a request for hidden subsidies. On Thursday, the refinery reaffirmed its stance in a statement posted on its official X account, where it accused marketers of seeking to shift ₦1.5 trillion in logistics costs onto the company.
The suspension of gantry sales is expected to significantly affect independent marketers and retailers who have not yet registered for the Free Delivery Scheme, raising fresh questions about fuel pricing, logistics, and competition in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
