Dangote Refinery’s fleet of newly acquired Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks has officially kicked off product loading at its facility in Lagos.

On Monday, the trucks began taking turns at the gantry to load petroleum products for direct supply to filling stations across Nigeria.

The move follows the refinery’s August announcement that it had received the first batch of its 4,000 CNG-powered trucks—part of a fuel distribution programme valued at over ₦720 billion.

During a courtesy visit by the AfricaRice Centre on Sunday, Aliko Dangote explained that the direct distribution system was designed to reduce dependence on third-party carriers and cut out unnecessary costs.

“Losing ₦75 per litre to intermediaries who cannot guarantee delivery is not a viable option. We are committed to ensuring petroleum products get to Nigerians transparently and affordably,” the refinery said in a statement.

This rollout comes amid recent criticism from the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), who accused Dangote Refinery of offering cheaper rates to international buyers while quoting higher prices to local offtakers. Dangote has denied this, stressing that bypassing costly Single Point Mooring (SPM) systems will save the economy about ₦1.5 trillion annually.

Beyond costs, the 4,000 CNG trucks project aims to:

• Lower logistics expenses in fuel distribution
• Cut environmental impact compared to diesel trucking
• Support over 42 million MSMEs by reducing energy costs

With this launch, the refinery is positioning itself not just as a supplier, but also as a distributor—reshaping how fuel reaches Nigerian consumers.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has revoked the operating licence of Oritsemeyin Rig and directed it to cease all operations upon the completion of its current well operations.

The notice is contained in a letter dated September 11, 2025, addressed to Selective Marine Services Limited (SMSL) and signed by the Commission Chief Executive, Engineer Gbenga Komolafe.

The NUPRC said in a statement on Friday 12 September, 2025 that the decision followed a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the drilling of UDIBE-2 wellbore during which a kick was recorded, resulting in several Non-Productive Time (NPT) with consequential cost and a forced well sidetrack.

A kick on an oil rig is the unwanted flow of formation fluids (oil, gas, or water) into the wellbore due to a temporary pressure imbalance, where the pressure inside the wellbore becomes lower than the formation pressure. This phenomenon, if left unmanaged, can lead to a potentially catastrophic uncontrolled release of fluids called a blowout.

Subsequently, the NUPRC in accordance with Section 97 of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, issued a formal notice of culpability via a letter dated June 5, 2025 with a timeline of 21 days followed by a reminder dated July 9, 2025 to ensure an amicable resolution which was not achieved even beyond the stipulated time.

“Consequent upon the forgoing and pursuant to the relevant powers conferred on the commission under the extant Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the annual licence to operate granted to Selective Marine Services Limited for the Oritsemeyin Rig is hereby revoked,” the commission stated.

The upstream regulator also disqualified the Oritsemeyin Rig from all renewal protocols in strict compliance with the applicable provisions of the law forthwith.

The NUPRC noted that this action is in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 which empowers the commission to ensure compliance with good oilfield and international best industry practices, operational safety and optimization as well as promote technical excellence and preserve commercial and environmental sustainability.

The Dangote refinery has announced that it will begin free direct delivery of petrol to stations across Nigeria starting September 15.

In a post shared on its official X handle on Thursday, the refinery said the rollout would cover 11 states in the first phase before extending nationwide.

According to the statement, petrol will be sold at an ex-gantry price of N820 per litre. It added that filling stations in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti will receive deliveries at N841 per litre, while Abuja, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Kwara will get supplies at N851 per litre.

“All petrol station owners nationwide are invited to register for free delivery and other benefits,” the refinery said.

The plant noted that the scheme would ease distribution challenges and ensure affordable access for end users.

Earlier in June, the refinery said it had acquired 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks to strengthen fuel distribution across the country. It also projected that its nationwide delivery programme would save Nigerians more than N1.7 trillion annually.

Industry analysts have welcomed the initiative as a potential relief for consumers but cautioned that it could disrupt existing operators in the downstream sector.