Oil marketers have called on Dangote Refinery to adopt an inclusive supply strategy following the rollout of its CNG-powered delivery trucks, warning that the new fleet alone cannot guarantee nationwide product distribution.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, praised Dangote’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 Dangote is not the only one innovating in this area. Our goal is to ensure seamless supplies, even to areas Dangote’s trucks cannot reach.”
Dangote had announced plans to deploy 4,000 trucks to deliver products directly to marketers, with 1,000 already on ground and the rest expected from China. The move has raised concerns among depot owners and retailers, who fear the decades-old distribution network could be sidelined.
While PETROAN members continue to load products from Dangote, Gillis-Harry said they seek formal negotiations and guarantees that depots across the country will remain active in the distribution chain.
The debate has also attracted wider industry commentary. Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola recently urged marketers to restructure, sell redundant assets, and reinvest to stay competitive.
But Gillis-Harry dismissed Otedola’s suggestion: “That is not a dependable statement. Are we saying all the investments made in this sector should just be forgotten? Yes, new systems will emerge, but existing infrastructure must be adapted to serve current realities.”
