By Charis Turner

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says its members cannot load petrol from the Dangote Refinery in Lagos despite having paid 40 billion naira to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

IPMAN President Abubakar Garima expressed surprise that the owner of the 20 billion dollars refinery Aliko Dangote said marketers were boycotting his refinery to buy imported petrol.

The IPMAN boss said his members are not importing petrol, as claimed by Africa’s richest man. 

He said rather than get Dangote petrol through the NNPCL, the private refinery should register independent petrol marketers directly for smooth loading of the product.

On Tuesday, billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja and told reporters that he has over 500 million litres in tanks at his mammoth refinery but marketers are not patronising his facility.

However, Garima said IPMAN, with over 20,000 members in Nigeria, has 40 billion naira upfront payment with the NNPCL and still cannot load the premium product from the private refinery.

Garima said Nigerians would see a reduction in the pump price of petrol if Dangote Refinery let independent marketers lift the product directly like the NNPCL.