The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, has warned against monopoly control of Nigeria’s petroleum supply and distribution chain, calling instead for an open and competitive market that guarantees affordable and transparent pricing.
Gillis-Harry made the call at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (AECAF) on Thursday in Abuja, responding to calls by the Dangote Refinery for regulators to halt the issuance of petroleum import licences.
While commending the Dangote Petroleum Refinery for its investment, he insisted that other refiners and product suppliers must be allowed to participate in the market, stressing that Nigeria cannot afford a situation where one company controls petroleum product supply.
He pointed to emerging projects such as the planned 25,000 barrels-per-day Azikel Refinery in Bayelsa as evidence of growing domestic refining capacity, noting the facility has the potential to scale up over time.
According to him, competition among refineries and product suppliers would drive market-based pricing and improve consumers’ access to affordable petroleum products.
He also called for closer collaboration among upstream, midstream and downstream operators, describing crude production, refining and retail distribution as deeply interconnected.
Highlighting the stakes for existing industry players, he noted that are more tankers and workers in the petroleum distribution value chain in the country, asking whether such investors should be pushed out of business, and describing their role as vital to keeping the nation running.
On efforts to improve accountability in the downstream sector, Gillis-Harry said PETROAN had developed a Petroleum Quality Assurance and Quality Control (PQAC) and Price Intelligence System to monitor product volumes, quality and pricing.
He explained that the system would help retailers track the quantity and quality of products loaded, their source, and landing costs, thereby boosting transparency in the sector.
He said the association remained committed to ensuring accurate dispensing at fuel stations and urged motorists to report suspected under-dispensing at outlets bearing PETROAN’s sticker.
Gillis-Harry added that the association would continue collaborating with regulators, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), to strengthen fair competition and transparency in the industry.
He further noted that crude oil would remain relevant despite the rise of alternative energy sources, urging Nigeria to balance environmental protection with the optimal use of its petroleum resources.
