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By Our Correspondent

Lagos, Nigeria – The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is considering a dramatic escalation in Nigeria’s downstream oil war: restricting sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to major marketers who continue to import petrol into the country.

The proposed measure, which could take effect as early as this week, is driven by growing concerns over product quality, market transparency, and the integrity of products sold under the Dangote brand. Sources close to the refinery told reporters that the decision is a direct response to allegations that some marketers are blending substandard imported PMS with the refinery’s high-quality fuel before distributing it to the public.

“It is difficult to understand why we would invest heavily in producing high-quality petroleum products for Nigerians, only for those products to be mixed with imported products of uncertain quality and the resulting product to be associated with the refinery,” a source familiar with the refinery’s position stated.

The 700,000-barrel-per-day facility, which has become a dominant force in both local and international markets, is concerned that this blending practice makes it impossible for consumers to distinguish between products supplied directly by the refinery and those subsequently tampered with by third parties.

The refinery has also raised alarm over what it describes as a lack of standard laboratory and quality control infrastructure by regulators to independently verify the specifications of imported products entering Nigeria.

This hardline stance comes as Nigeria’s downstream sector undergoes a historic transition from import dependence to domestic refining. The shift has been so significant that the U.S. Energy Information Administration recently cited the Dangote refinery as a major factor behind a sharp increase in Nigeria’s seaborne exports, which averaged 561,000 barrels per day in Q2 2026—up from just 79,000 barrels per day in 2023.

Furthermore, Dangote’s jet fuel has cemented its position as Europe’s largest external supplier for consecutive months, outperforming traditional exporters from the United States and the Middle East.

Industry observers note that the proposed restriction is subject to further consultations and any last-minute intervention, but it signals a growing intolerance within the refinery for what it perceives as market manipulation that undermines its brand and investment.