The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has urged the Dangote Refinery to adopt an open-door supply policy and provide marketers with fair access to petroleum products at reasonable prices.

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief on Wednesday, DAPPMAN spokesperson Ikem Ohia argued that partnership with the Refinery would guarantee steady fuel availability across the country.

He debunked a widespread notion that the Association conflicted with the Dangote Refinery, adding that all they wanted was collaboration that would help eliminate fuel queues and ensure Nigerians benefit from a stable supply.

“Our key interest is to have petroleum products offered at reasonable prices consistently, in a way that there’s no stock-out and Nigerians no longer queue for fuel,” Ohia stated.

He explained that while Dangote Refinery is currently the dominant supplier, a development the marketers welcomed, the core challenge was access and pricing.

“The question is: at what price does he offer us, and do we actually have access to purchase these products from him?” he asked.

To efficiently move petroleum products across the country, Ohia said DAPPMAN members have, for more than 20 years, built a robust distribution network, with depots strategically located in Calabar, Port Harcourt, Warri, and Lagos.

“What we are asking Dangote to do is to use these depots that are already in existence for us to meet the demands of Nigerians,” he said.

Dismissing suggestions that marketers asked for subsidies, the spokesperson stressed that the matter was purely commercial.

“We are businessmen; he is a businessman. We’re not asking for subsidies. We went into negotiations and are still negotiating to see how he can bridge the gap,” Ohia said.