LAGOS — Dangote Petroleum Refinery has resumed sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in naira, reversing a planned suspension that was to take effect Sunday, September 28, following the intervention of the Chairman of the Naira-for-Crude Transaction Committee, the company said.
“Following the intervention of the Naira for Crude Transaction Committee Chairman, we are pleased to inform you of the resumption of PMS sales in naira commencing immediately,” the refinery said in a statement, inviting marketers to place orders in naira for both self-collection and free delivery to previously designated locations nationwide. Customers were asked to disregard the earlier suspension notice.
The policy whiplash comes amid a growing dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which recently directed members to cut crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery. Dangote warned the directive could trigger fresh fuel scarcity, disrupt nationwide supply of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene and cooking gas, and inflict “huge” revenue losses on government.
Describing the union’s order as “criminal, reckless, and an act of economic sabotage,” the refinery argued PENGASSAN lacks legal authority to interfere with third-party supply contracts and urged the Federal Government and security agencies to act swiftly to prevent “unquantifiable hardship” for households and businesses. It stressed that any operational pause would also dent public finances, calling the facility a strategic national asset and one of the country’s largest taxpayers.
“Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to ‘cut off’ gas and crude oil supplies,” the statement said, appealing to the union to pursue an amicable, lawful resolution rather than actions that could “translate into anarchy.”
The resumption of naira-denominated petrol sales will be closely watched by marketers and consumers after months of volatile fuel logistics. By maintaining supplies while talks continue, Dangote aims to steady the downstream market and avoid fuel queues, energy shortages and price spikes that could ripple through the economy.
