Nigerian fuel marketers are forging strategic partnerships aimed at reducing losses, ensuring business sustainability, and maintaining steady fuel distribution across the country in response to the growing pressure of fluctuating petrol prices.
Over the past three to four months, the petroleum downstream sector has witnessed an intense price battle between Dangote Refinery and NNPC Retail Limited, both vying to secure the largest share of the market.
In a bold move, Dangote Refinery entered partnerships with leading fuel retail outlets including Ardova Petroleum, MRS, Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde, enabling these partners to offer lower pump prices than many competitors.
NNPC Retail Limited, in a swift response to Dangote’s aggressive pricing, introduced further price cuts to stay competitive. As it stands, Dangote’s partners sell petrol at N875 per litre, while NNPC outlets offer it at N870 per litre.
Though the battle for market dominance continues, the real winners appear to be Nigerian consumers, who now enjoy multiple affordable options at the pump, easing the burden of high fuel costs.
Industry analysts suggest the current pricing trend could reshape market dynamics, promote efficiency, and push for more transparency and competition within the downstream value chain.
