𝗙𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥: 𝗡𝗡𝗣𝗖 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗖𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗦, 𝗜𝗣𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗦, 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦

𝗙𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥: 𝗡𝗡𝗣𝗖 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗖𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗦, 𝗜𝗣𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗦, 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦

𝗕𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗗𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀,

𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁,

22𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗰. 2025.

Nigeria’s downstream oil sector is witnessing one of its most dramatic shake-ups in recent times as the ongoing fuel price war intensifies, forcing filling stations to either crash prices or lose customers. Across Lagos, Ogun and other parts of the country, petrol buyers are now deliberately avoiding stations selling above ₦800 per litre, choosing instead to queue at outlets dispensing Dangote Refinery petrol—most notably MRS stations—at ₦739 per litre.

 The message from motorists is clear: price now determines patronage.

The turning point came last week when the Dangote Petroleum Refinery stunned depot owners and marketers by slashing its gantry price by ₦129, from ₦828 to ₦699 per litre. The move sent shockwaves through the market and immediately altered consumer behaviour. Following the price cut, MRS stations in Lagos began selling petrol at ₦739 per litre, triggering long queues and heavy traffic around their outlets. In places like Alapere and along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, motorists openly boycotted stations still selling above ₦850, forcing competitors to respond. Within days, many filling stations dropped their pump prices by about ₦100 or more, even though marketers admit they are selling at a loss. In Ogun State, some outlets now sell petrol between ₦750 and ₦785 per litre, down from nearly ₦900 just a week earlier.

Meanwhile, several Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) stations are reportedly struggling for customers as buyers flock to cheaper alternatives. The state-owned company recently adjusted its pump prices from ₦875 to between ₦825 and ₦840, depending on location. However, with a landing cost estimated at ₦828 per litre, NNPCL and other importers are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with locally refined petrol. Industry figures suggest petrol importers could lose as much as ₦102.48 billion monthly due to the price cuts, while Dangote Refinery itself may be losing about ₦91 billion in a month. Despite this, Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, has made it clear he is prepared for the battle.

Dangote has openly accused some marketers of attempting to keep prices artificially high and vowed to fight what he described as efforts to sabotage government reforms. According to him, Nigerians should not be paying above ₦740 per litre this December and January.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has admitted that its members are bleeding financially, with losses estimated at over ₦80 billion. However, the association also agrees that resistance is futile in a deregulated market.

“Wherever fuel is cheaper, that is where customers will go,” IPMAN spokesperson Chinedu Ukadike said, noting that price competition has fully taken over the sector. In a significant development, IPMAN confirmed a new partnership with the Dangote Refinery, revealing that independent marketers—who control over 85 per cent of filling stations nationwide—are now loading petrol directly from the refinery. Dangote has also reduced the minimum purchase volume to 250,000 litres, making it easier for smaller marketers to participate. Over the weekend, the refinery disclosed that more than 1,000 petrol trucks now load daily from its facility, further cementing its position as Nigeria’s new fuel distribution hub. In a social media video that has since gone viral, the Dangote Group warned Nigerians against being overcharged, reminding consumers that petrol is officially selling at ₦739 per litre at MRS stations nationwide, with more outlets expected to join soon.

For many Nigerians, this price war—despite the losses suffered by big players—has brought rare relief at the pump. As the market continues to regulate itself, one thing is certain: in today’s Nigeria, the cheapest fuel wins.