Barring any last-minute changes, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is set to commence its direct fuel distribution scheme, as 1,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks have arrived in Nigeria.
With the new fleet, the refinery will begin distributing fuel directly to marketers in Lagos, Ogun, and other South-West states, pending the delivery of the remaining 3,000 trucks ordered for the project.
Sources and officials at the $20 billion Lekki-based plant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that more trucks are being shipped in batches and expressed confidence that all 4,000 trucks would be delivered by the end of next month.
The development comes after The PUNCH reported last week that the distribution exercise, originally scheduled for August 15, was delayed due to logistics challenges in China. Dangote Group had earlier announced plans to deploy 4,000 CNG-powered trucks for direct fuel supply, a move aimed at improving efficiency and cutting reliance on third-party distributors.
Industry experts believe the scheme will ease fuel distribution bottlenecks, enhance market competition, and potentially stabilize pump prices in the South-West and beyond.