- Motorists are complaining about their inability to buy Dangote petrol at the approved pump price of N739, due to shortages of MRS filling stations
- Long queues have been observed at available MRS stations in parts of the country, as most filling stations of other marketers are selling petrol above N800 per litre
- Motorists urge the Dangote Refinery to partner with more retail outlets to give Nigerians more access to its petroleum products
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to Dangote Petroleum Refinery to expand the number of its partner filling stations in Abuja to improve access to petrol sold at the recently reduced price of N739 per litre.
Source: Original
Dangote Refinery had announced MRS Oil Nigeria Plc as its partner retail outlet, with a mandate to dispense Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N739 per litre nationwide. The company also invited other marketers to offload at its plants, promising discounts.
Since the announcement, MRS stations have become the main option for motorists seeking cheaper fuel.
Other marketers sell higher
Findings by Vanguard across parts of Abuja showed that while other fuel retailers are selling petrol at higher prices, including NNPC Retail at about N835 per litre, TotalEnergies at N920, Conoil at N910, Eterna at N889, and AYM Sharfa at N840, MRS outlets remain few within the FCT.
Checks around the city centre and satellite areas revealed limited availability of MRS stations.
At Katampe, along the AYA–Gaduma–Asokoro Road, the only MRS outlet was observed to have long queues since the price reduction.
The station was also reported to stop selling petrol after 7:00 p.m. daily and did not display its pump price.
Some MRS stations reportedly selling above N739
Along the Nyanya–Karshi Road, three MRS stations were identified, but only one was dispensing petrol at the approved N739 per litre as of Tuesday. The other two outlets were reportedly selling at about N910 per litre.
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Dangote Refinery launches hotline for Nigerians to report MRS stations selling petrol above N739 per litre
Speaking to Vanguard at the MRS station on Airport Road, a civil servant, Mr George Anosike, said the limited number of MRS outlets in Abuja was restricting access to the cheaper petrol.
“MRS stations are very few in Abuja, and with other filling stations selling above N800 per litre, Dangote can help the masses by increasing the number of stations selling its petrol,” he said.
Source: Getty Images
Another motorist, Mr Joachim Jimbiri, also urged the refinery to expand its retail partnerships to make the fuel more accessible to residents of the FCT.
He said the price reduction showed the potential benefits of local refining but noted that wider availability was needed.
“This is when we are beginning to see the real benefits of the Dangote Refinery. Nigerians want the refinery to succeed, but people must feel the impact through cheaper petrol,” he said.
Dangote Refinery introduces hotline number
Legit.ng earlier reported that following its partnership with MRS, Dangote Refinery has introduced a phone number for Nigerians to report MRS filling stations selling above the approved N739 nationwide.
The refinery says the initiative is aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring price transparency, particularly at its partner petrol stations.
Dangote Refinery warned against artificial scarcity and urged regulators to act against offenders, just as it advised Nigerians against buying above the approved pump price.
Source: Legit.ng