Dangote Petroleum Refinery has unveiled a revised list of 25 petroleum marketers authorised to distribute its petrol across Nigeria, reducing its previous consortium of 37 companies as it restructures its domestic fuel sales operations.

The decision removes 12 marketers from the arrangement and comes amid fresh changes to the refinery's petrol pricing system.

According to industry publication Petroleumprice.ng, the new consortium includes major downstream operators such as NIPCO, MRS, Ardova, Rainoil, A.A. Rano and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

An industry source attributed the restructuring to concerns over the pricing practices of some members of the previous consortium.

However, the refinery has not publicly detailed the specific reasons for excluding individual companies.

Dangote Refinery names 25 selected marketers

The revised list contains established petroleum distributors and other operators expected to participate in the refinery's domestic petrol supply arrangement.

The 25 selected companies are:

1. Techno Oil

2. Pivot

3. Soroman

4. NIPCO

5. MRS

6. Ardova

7. Fagbem

8. Masters

9. Bovas

10. Optima

11. Nepal Energies

12. Mainland

13. NNPC

14. Sobaz

15. Northwest

16. Danmarna

17. A.A. Rano

18. Rainoil

19. Pinnacle

20. AYM Shafa

21. Salbas

22. Heyden

23. Eterna

24.Total

25. Bongas

The reduction from 37 to 25 companies represents a nearly 32% contraction in the consortium.

It remains unclear whether the restructuring will affect the volume of petrol allocated to individual marketers or the refinery's wider distribution network, according to PetroleumPriceNG.

Dangote changes petrol pricing arrangement again

The consortium review coincides with Dangote Refinery's decision to return to an EBOB-linked pricing model for petrol.

Under the arrangement, petrol prices are determined using a five-day average of a European gasoline benchmark, allowing movements in international petroleum markets to influence domestic selling prices.

The refinery initially adopted the benchmark-linked system when it introduced direct petrol sales through consortium marketers.

It subsequently replaced the arrangement with fixed gantry pricing, providing marketers with a predetermined loading price.

During that earlier transition, the refinery reduced its petrol gantry price from ₦1,265 to ₦1,210 per litre, representing a ₦55 reduction, or approximately 4.35%.

That adjustment was part of the previous pricing arrangement and should not be interpreted as a fresh reduction following the latest restructuring.

What new arrangement means for petrol prices

With the return to EBOB-linked pricing, domestic petrol costs could become more responsive to international gasoline price movements.

This means marketers may experience price increases or reductions depending on global market conditions and other applicable pricing factors.

However, the refinery has retained fixed gantry pricing for automotive gas oil (AGO), commonly called diesel.

For Nigerian motorists, the immediate impact remains uncertain.

Although changes in refinery loading prices can influence pump prices, transportation costs, distribution margins and competition among filling stations also determine what consumers eventually pay.

The latest restructuring therefore signals a significant shift in Dangote Refinery's marketing strategy, but whether it will translate into cheaper petrol for Nigerians remains to be seen.