In order to crash the pump prices of petroleum products uniformly across the country, especially in the northern part, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) at the weekend urged the Dangote Petroleum Refinery Company deliver the fuels directly to more states.

The Association’s National Publicity Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, made the appeal in a voice note released to select reporters in Abuja.

“We want to commend the management of Dangote Refinery for making this possible, and we are also appealing to them to extend it further to other states, especially those in the northern areas, so that petroleum products will be bought uniformly,” he said.

According to him, “This will reduce the hardship Nigeria is facing.”

The spokesman commended the refinery for extending its free petroleum product distribution scheme to Imo, Anambra and other states, describing the gesture as one that would ease the hardship faced by independent marketers.

Ukadike gave the commendation while speaking on the impact of the initiative, which he said was aimed at ensuring petroleum products reach final consumers at more affordable prices.

Ukadike said the gesture, if sustained, would help alleviate the challenges independent marketers face, particularly the financial strain of paying for products in advance and waiting for days or weeks before their orders are loaded.

“This gesture, if sustained, will be able to alleviate the sufferings of independent marketers,” Ukadike said. “There has been the issue of financial hold-up, whereby marketers pay for products and are not loaded for days and weeks, and they suffer unnecessary hardship bringing the product down.”

He said Dangote Refinery had made the process significantly easier for marketers, adding that many were now seeing quicker returns on their investments as a result.

“This time around, Dangote has made it very, very easy for marketers. Marketers are jubilating, and you will see the return on investment as an independent marketer. Your money will not be tied down,” he said.

According to Ukadike, the initiative had also reduced the risks associated with product haulage, since marketers now have petroleum products delivered closer to their point of need. He noted that this development was already reflecting in retail pump prices.

“You also have less risk, and you have petroleum products at your doorstep. Other consumers will also see that our pump price will not continue to go up. The more Dangote brings down its pump price, the more independent marketers will bring down theirs,” he said.

Ukadike commended the management of Dangote Refinery for the initiative and appealed for it to be extended to more states, particularly in the northern part of the country, to ensure uniform pricing of petroleum products nationwide.

He described the development as a reflection of the benefits of deregulation and competition within the downstream petroleum sector.

“This is the beauty of deregulation and competition,” Ukadike said.

The commendation comes against the backdrop of Dangote Refinery’s ongoing free petrol distribution initiative, which the company has been rolling out across several states as part of efforts to cushion the effect of fuel price fluctuations on Nigerians.

The scheme, which began with select states, has since been extended to Imo and Anambra, with marketers under IPMAN expressing optimism that broader coverage — including northern states — would further stabilise pump prices and reduce the operational hardship long faced by independent fuel marketers. (The Nation)