Consumers enjoy cheaper fuel from Dangote, NNPC’s price war

● MRS slashes PMS price to N935/litre nationwide, enforces compliance
● P’Harcourt refinery resumes loading after week-long halt

The saying that the grass suffers when two elephants fight may not be true after all. As the clash between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Dangote Refinery suggests, the consumers are cheerful beneficiaries.

MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, a key player in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, yesterday announced the nationwide implementation of a new petrol price of N935 per litre across all its retail outlets.

This followed a partnership between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil and Gas, which saw a reduction in the ex-depot price of petrol from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as revealed by Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited.

In a statement, MRS Oil confirmed the immediate rollout of the adjusted price across its service stations, supported by a digital platform and monitoring team to ensure compliance. The company urged customers to report any station not adhering to the new pricing.

“Petrol is now being sold at N935 at MRS Filling Stations nationwide. If you find any station not following this price, please report it. Call 08009447853 or email: [email protected],” the company said.

MRS Oil also highlighted its commitment to delivering eco-friendly fuel products and called on other station owners to contribute to enhancing the nation’s fuel supply chain.

“Our goal is to ensure product quality and availability in every corner of Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians,” the statement added. Field checks confirme compliance across MRS retail outlets, with Lagos residents queueing at stations to purchase fuel at the new price. Commuters expressed appreciation for the price reduction and lauded the quality of the locally refined petrol.

At the Alapere MRS station on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Mrs Ibukun Phillips, a customer, celebrated the development.

“I am very happy today. This is a victory for Nigeria. The price reduction is the best gift of the season. Beyond the reduction, we are buying standard, eco-friendly petrol at a lower rate. My husband and I have decided we will only use MRS from now on because we trust their product quality and want to support the economy,” she said.

Commercial driver Adio Ajibade also welcomed the price adjustment, saying it would reduce transportation costs during the festive period.

“The reduction is a great relief. It will benefit Nigerians. God will continue to bless Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” he said. A public affairs analyst and university lecturer, Dr Tunde Akanni, described the collaboration as a pivotal step towards enhancing affordability, quality, and sustainability in the country’s petroleum sector.

“This initiative will ease the financial burden on Nigerians while promoting environmentally conscious fuel consumption, benefitting both the economy and public health in the long term,” he said.

The partnership between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil is viewed as a significant stride in supporting local refining and reducing reliance on imported fuel products.

Meanwhile, Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has resumed the trucking out of petrol following a one-week suspension of operations.The halt, which began two weeks ago, was unexplained, leaving many marketers stranded. During the downtime, the Port Harcourt Refinery Depot showed no activity, with an empty loading bay observed last Thursday.

The NNPCL had assured stakeholders that preparations for resumption were underway. True to its statement, lifting operations recommenced on Saturday, with 11 trucks loading PMS from the depot.

A visit to the depot yesterday revealed partial activity. Trucks began arriving at the 18-arm loading bay at 1:14 p.m., after being cleared at the Onyema gate, the facility’s truck entry point, at about 12:21 p.m.

By 12:26 p.m., seven trucks had been cleared to proceed to the loading bay. Loading operations were slow, with only two trucks fully loaded by 2:00 p.m. while others queued. By 4:30 p.m., 10 trucks had successfully loaded petrol.

Safety measures were observed, with a fire service truck stationed at the loading bay. The first truck began lifting petrol at 1:18 p.m., marking the restart of operations.

Despite the resumption, marketers expressed frustration over the frequent and unexplained shutdowns of loading operations. They lamented that only three of the depot’s 18 loading arms were operational, as the rest had yet to be calibrated.

A marketer, Liti, criticised the inefficiencies: “We are not happy with what is happening here. If operations were fully functional, this place would be bustling with trucks, and they could load up to 50 trucks before 6:00 p.m. The government needs to intervene and ensure the refinery operates optimally.”

It was noted that not all the loading arms are designated for petrol. Some are allocated for Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automated Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel. However, the refinery has not commenced the production of kerosene and diesel, limiting its output to petrol.

The resumption of petrol loading operations is expected to alleviate fuel scarcity in the region, but concerns persist about the refinery’s reliability and efficiency due to frequent interruptions and ongoing technical challenges.

Industry observers have urged the government and stakeholders to address the underlying issues affecting the refinery’s operations to ensure a steady supply of petroleum products and minimise disruptions to marketers and consumers alike.

The PHRC’s capacity to maintain consistent operations is seen as crucial to stabilising the downstream oil sector and meeting the fuel needs of Nigerians in the long term