Oil marketers in Nigeria have countered claims made by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery that off-spec Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, is being imported into the country.
The marketers responded to these accusations on Thursday, affirming that the imported fuel undergoes stringent certification processes by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The dispute came to light following statements from Dangote Refinery earlier in the week, where it informed Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, among other marketers, that deregulation of the downstream oil sector should not be used as a justification for importing substandard petroleum products.
The refinery further accused Pinnacle of attempting to blend low-quality fuel in Nigeria.
In response, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Oil, Robert Dickerman, denied the allegations, emphasizing that their products undergo rigorous testing by independent inspectors, NMDPRA, and SON.
He reiterated that Pinnacle is committed to maintaining high-quality fuel imports, with the testing process verified at multiple stages of the product’s journey.
“Our products undergo a range of inspections from SON, NMDPRA, and independent inspectors to ensure that we are compliant with national standards,” Dickerman stated, highlighting the extensive testing process. “We can’t bring in off-spec products into this country.”
An official from SON confirmed Dickerman’s statement, affirming that the organization plays a key role in ensuring the quality of imported fuel.
The official explained that SON operates its own laboratory facilities where imported petroleum products are tested to determine if they meet regulatory standards.
“Yes, we are involved in the testing of petroleum products when they come into the country. We have laboratory facilities where these tests are conducted to check if the products meet regulatory standards or are off-spec,” the SON official said.
A major oil marketer also corroborated the claims made by Pinnacle, detailing the multi-stage testing process conducted by the NMDPRA.
According to the marketer, the NMDPRA conducts three tests on every batch of imported petrol; one when the vessel arrives at Atlas Cove, a second when the product is moved to the discharge point, and a final test when it is ready to be loaded into storage tanks. These rigorous checks ensure the quality of the fuel, the marketer emphasized.
The dispute gained further attention when Dickerman addressed the accusations during a press conference in Lagos.
He described the statements issued by the Dangote refinery as defamatory, inaccurate, and misleading.
He also pointed out that Pinnacle had entered into a 13-year agreement with Dangote to distribute the refinery’s products via pipeline, a much more cost-effective method compared to distribution by ship or road transport.
In defending the agreement, Dickerman explained that Pinnacle’s pipeline project, which Dangote had supported, was designed to enhance distribution efficiency.
The agreement was signed in early 2023 after several rounds of negotiations and regulatory approvals. Pinnacle’s proposed pipelines would connect to the Dangote Refinery’s facilities, enabling a smoother transfer of petroleum products across the country.
“When we proposed this project, Dangote wholeheartedly agreed and signed a 13-year interconnection agreement with us,” Dickerman explained. “They even facilitated our regulatory approval by writing two Letters of No Objection to the regulator. The agreement was comprehensive, both commercially and legally.”
Dickerman also refuted Dangote’s claim that Pinnacle had sought to blend substandard fuel with the refinery’s products, stressing that this narrative was false and damaging to both companies.
The controversy intensified when the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited also responded to claims made by a viral video showing allegedly adulterated fuel being sold at one of its retail outlets in Keffi.
NNPCL swiftly issued a statement denying the allegations, confirming that its products undergo strict quality control at every stage of production and distribution.
“We have carried out spot checks at all our outlets and found this claim to be false. The product shown in the video was not purchased from any NNPC Retail outlet, as we do not dispense petroleum products into bottles or jerrycans,” the NNPCL statement read. “We adhere to rigorous standards to ensure that only high-quality, safe petroleum products are available at our stations across the country.”
The NNPCL further urged the public to disregard the misleading video, calling for caution against “selfish and unpatriotic elements” spreading false narratives that harm the country’s oil sector.
As the dispute over fuel quality continues, both Pinnacle and NNPCL are calling for greater vigilance and transparency in the petroleum industry, urging the public to trust the regulatory processes in place to ensure the safety and integrity of Nigeria’s fuel imports.
