The Dangote Group has firmly defended the pricing and quality of its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in response to recent criticisms from petroleum industry associations.

In a press release dated November 3, 2024, Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, stated that Dangote’s PMS is competitively priced compared to imported alternatives.

Chiejina addressed claims from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), which suggested that imported PMS could be sold at lower prices than those offered by Dangote.

He labeled these assertions as misleading, warning that they could involve substandard products that pose risks to consumers and vehicles.

“We benchmark our prices against international prices and believe our prices are competitive relative to imports,” Chiejina said. He emphasized that any claims of being able to undercut Dangote’s pricing may likely stem from the importation of inferior products aimed at damaging the reputation of locally refined fuels.

The Dangote Group also criticized the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for lacking adequate testing facilities, which could allow substandard imports into the Nigerian market without detection.

In terms of pricing, Dangote announced it is selling PMS at N960 per liter for ships and N990 for trucks, undercutting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) prices of N971 and N990 respectively. This move underscores Dangote's commitment to providing affordable fuel options to Nigerians.

Chiejina raised concerns about an unnamed international trading company that has reportedly established a depot near Dangote’s facilities with intentions to blend lower-quality products.

He warned that such actions threaten Nigeria’s domestic refining sector, which is vital for economic growth and job creation.