Industry Leaders Urge End to Dangote-DAPPMAN Feud as Nigeria’s Refining Revolution Hangs in Balance
The Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) has stepped into the escalating dispute between Dangote Refinery and petroleum marketers, calling for unity and collaboration as Nigeria stands on the brink of a historic refining transformation. The industry body warned that ongoing tensions between the mega refinery and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) threaten to derail the country’s long-awaited shift toward domestic refining dominance.
The conflict centers on disagreements over pricing, supply arrangements, and market structure, with DAPPMAN raising concerns about product availability and competitive practices while Dangote Refinery insists that domestic refining needs stability without external pressure. These public exchanges have sparked intensive debates that risk polarizing the industry at a critical juncture.
“Nigeria is on the cusp of a refining revolution that must not be stifled by primordial sentiments or vested interests,” CORAN Chairman Momoh Oyarekhua stated in a press release issued Thursday. “For decades, Nigeria endured the paradox of being Africa’s leading crude oil producer yet importing most of its refined petroleum products. This dependence drained scarce foreign exchange, enriched foreign refiners, and entrenched middlemen structures.”
CORAN emphasized that the rise of domestic refining poses an inherent threat to the old import-dependent business model that sustained depots and bulk marketers for decades. However, rather than viewing this as extinction, the association urged tank farm owners and marketers to embrace collaboration with local refineries to ensure continued relevance in the new era.
The organization highlighted that refineries cannot thrive in isolation and require efficient product evacuation, storage, and retail distribution where DAPPMAN members remain critical. By repositioning themselves as partners handling logistics, regional distribution, storage, and last-mile delivery, tank farm operators can reinvent their businesses to align with domestic refineries.
“This is not the time for rivalry but for reinvention and collaboration,” Oyarekhua emphasized. “Refineries need marketers, and marketers need domestic supply. Our refining renaissance is too important to be derailed by division. If we work together, Nigeria will stabilize prices, reduce forex dependence, create jobs, and deliver affordable energy.”
The association stressed that both sides have made sacrifices in the national interest and deserve acknowledgment, with DAPPMAN operators having sustained the nation through decades of import reliance while Dangote Refinery and indigenous refiners represent a strategic shift toward self-sufficiency and job creation.
Source: independent.ng
