Marketers Urge Dangote Refinery To Retain Depot Network Amid New CNG Trucks Rollout
Marketers Urge Dangote Refinery To Retain Depot Network Amid New CNG Trucks Rollout
He warned that 4,000 trucks may not reach every community, stressing that depot infrastructure built over decades must not be sidelined.
CNG trucks loading at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, September 15, 2025. Photo: Nosakhale Akhimien/Channels TV
Oil marketers have urged Dangote Refinery to adopt an inclusive distribution model after it rolled out Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks.
They argued that the new 4,000-truck fleet alone cannot guarantee nationwide fuel supply.
PETROAN President Billy Gillis-Harry, in an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast show, The Morning Brief, welcomed Dangote’s investment but called for inclusivity.
He said PETROAN members continue to load products from the refinery but want guarantees of depot access across the country.
“The business model of Dangote should be inclusive. Every stakeholder should be at the table to discuss the best model,” Gillis-Harry said on Tuesday.
He warned that 4,000 trucks may not reach every community, stressing that depot infrastructure built over decades must not be sidelined.
Gillis-Harry added that PETROAN members had already invested in CNG trucks, describing the technology as “not new to us.”
Response To Otedola
The row has also attracted comments from billionaire Femi Otedola, who advised marketers to restructure, sell redundant assets, and reinvest.
But Gillis-Harry disagreed. “Recommending that they should scrap their investments is something he should think deeply about,” he said.
He argued that existing facilities in Port Harcourt, Calabar, Oghara, Lagos, and other cities remain vital for product distribution.
Dangote Refinery began loading petroleum products with its CNG trucks on Monday. The refinery had earlier announced it ordered 4,000 units from China.
Aliko Dangote said 1,000 trucks had already arrived, dismissing claims of monopoly in the downstream sector.
“We are not here to take anyone out of the market,” Dangote said at a press briefing in Lagos.
He revealed that the fleet has created 24,000 jobs with salaries “four times the minimum wage.”
The group plans to deploy 10,250 CNG trucks by November, investing ₦2 trillion in logistics.
Dangote said the initiative would cut transport costs, stabilise supply, and benefit over 42 million small businesses nationwide.
