A significant dispute has erupted between the Dangote Refinery and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), with allegations and counter-allegations regarding petroleum product pricing and market practices. Concurrently, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged its members to register with the Dangote Refinery in anticipation of direct fuel supply commencing on Monday, September 15, 2025.

DAPPMAN initiated the controversy by accusing the Dangote Refinery of offering petroleum products at cheaper prices to foreign buyers while quoting higher rates for local off-takers. The association further alleged that the refinery frequently reduces prices strategically, often coinciding with periods when other importers have active cargoes at sea or in storage tanks. Executive Secretary of DAPPMAN, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, stated that this practice contradicts the refinery's public claims of prioritizing Nigerians and places undue financial strain on domestic businesses already operating with tight margins.

Additionally, Adewole refuted any insinuation that DAPPMAN members import substandard petroleum products, asserting that all imports adhere to independent, regulator-accredited laboratory testing in line with Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) protocols and global quality standards. He maintained that Nigeria's downstream petroleum market is highly regulated, transparent, and aligned with international best practices. Adewole also described Dangote Refinery's claim of