By Muhammad Mamman
Major fuel consumers and filling stations are increasingly bypassing intermediary suppliers in favour of Dangote Refinery’s free delivery service, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from transport operators.
Yusuf Othman, President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), warned that the practice was undermining formal agreements between his members and key clients, including oil marketers, telecom firms, and other large-scale fuel consumers.
According to Othman, many operators had secured bank loans to acquire trucks based on binding contracts with these companies. He said such agreements were now being jeopardised as Dangote supplies fuel directly at no extra delivery cost.
“This situation is very delicate,” he stressed. “If I sign an agreement with you to deploy 10 trucks, and someone else comes to offer the same service for free, then the survival of our businesses is at risk.”
Othman called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intervene, arguing that free direct deliveries contravene Section 212 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
He noted that, although there has been no official confirmation from Dangote, information available to NARTO indicates the practice is already underway, leaving many transporters sidelined.
