Dangote Refinery‘s officials have said the controversial fuel allegedly bought from a filling station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) did not emanate from the refinery.
The PUNCH reported officials saying Nigerians testified to the quality of the Premium Motor Spirit from the Dangote refinery because they knew its difference from fuel from other sources.
On Saturday, the NNPCL denied claims that it sold substandard petrol with a high burn rate.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, the NNPCL said it was reacting to a viral video claiming that its petrol does not last long in fuel tanks.
Our correspondent reports that a video had surfaced online where a content creator claimed he bought a litre of Dangote petrol from the MRS Filling Station at Alapere, Lagos, at N925 and the same litre from the NNPCL at Ojodu Berger at the rate of N945.
According to him, he poured the fuel into separate new generators. The one running on the NNPCL fuel stopped after 17 minutes, while the Dangote petrol lasted for 33 minutes.
The video went viral as many Nigerians shared experiences of using fuel from both dealers.
But the NNPCL said the petrol purchased from its filling station at Ojodu Berger was from the Dangote refinery.
“The NNPC Ltd strongly refutes the false and misleading allegations made in a viral video circulating online, which claims that NNPC fuel does not last. This assertion is baseless and entirely unfounded, originating from unverified and amateur research that lacks credibility, accuracy, and professional oversight,” the statement said.
The company emphasised that its fuel “is carefully formulated with one of the best compositions, ensuring optimal efficiency, durability, and environmental sustainability for consumers.”
Furthermore, the NNPCL stressed that a significant percentage of the PMS sold at its stations in Lagos were sourced from the Dangote refinery.
“It is important to emphasise that a significant percentage of Premium Motor Spirit sold at NNPC retail stations in Lagos—where this deceptive video was created—is sourced from the Dangote Refinery, a strategic partner in promoting local production and energy security. Dangote refinery adheres to strict industry standards, guaranteeing the quality of petroleum products supplied to our consumers,” the NNPC declared.
However, sources from the Dangote refinery wondered why the NNPCL deliberately dragged Dangote refinery into the matter.
One of the officials disclosed that not all NNPCL fuel emanated from the Dangote refinery, especially as the corporation had its refineries while still importing fuel from other countries.
According to him, the NNPC is trying to be clever by saying the fuel is from the Dangote refinery and giving ‘fake accolades’ at the same time.
“It was reported that our PMS burn rate is better than any other one, and everybody has been talking about it for months on end. So, why stylishly dragging Dangote into the issue?” an official asked.
