By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

The Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups has commended Dangote petroleum refinery for moderating petrol prices amid pressures in global oil markets.

Jabir Maiturare, Coordinator of the coalition, gave the commendation in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna, describing domestic refining as crucial to Nigeria’s energy security.

Maiturare said geopolitical tensions, disruptions to refining capacity and fluctuations in international crude oil prices had placed considerable pressure on petroleum markets worldwide.

He said recent international reports indicated significant supply constraints, with refineries across several regions facing disruptions that had affected petroleum product markets.

Against this backdrop, the coalition recognised the strategic importance of having a large-scale domestic refinery capable of supplying the Nigerian market.

It said the refinery would help reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products and limit the country’s exposure to international market shocks.

The coalition particularly commended Dangote Refinery for maintaining a petrol price that remained competitive with imported products.

According to recent industry data cited by the coalition, Dangote’s petrol gantry price stood at ₦1,265 per litre.

It compared this with an import-parity benchmark of about ₦1,310.64 per litre, giving locally refined petrol an advantage of approximately ₦45.64 per litre.

Maiturare said the development demonstrated the growing importance of domestic refining to Nigeria’s economic security and energy independence.

He said refining crude locally could reduce exposure to international shipping costs, foreign exchange pressures and other expenses associated with importing finished petroleum products.

The coalition described Dangote Refinery as an increasingly critical component of Nigeria’s energy-security architecture.

It noted that the refinery currently had a capacity of about 700,000 barrels per day, with plans to expand to 1.4 million barrels per day.

According to the coalition, the expansion had the potential to significantly strengthen Nigeria’s position as a major refining and petroleum-products hub.

The group called on government agencies, oil marketers, organised labour, civil society organisations and consumers to support policies encouraging domestic refining.

It also urged stakeholders to improve crude supply to Nigerian refineries and create a more competitive downstream petroleum market.

The coalition urged petroleum marketers to ensure that price reductions at refinery and wholesale levels were appropriately reflected in retail prices.

It said this would enable ordinary Nigerians to benefit directly from the advantages associated with increased domestic refining capacity.

Maiturare commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the management and workforce of Dangote Refinery for their investment in Nigeria’s energy sector.

He encouraged the refinery to maintain transparency, responsible pricing and commitment to domestic energy security.

He said strengthening domestic refining capacity was important to protecting Nigeria from international petroleum-market shocks.

“At a time when many countries remain vulnerable to international petroleum-market shocks, strengthening Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity is an important step toward energy independence,” he said.

He said the development would also contribute to economic resilience and national development.(NAN)