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DAPPMAN’s demand of ₦75 per litre for coastal freight self-serving – CSOs

Published

1 year ago

September 26, 2025

Cyril Ogar

Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) and Nigerian Interfaith Forum (NIF) on Friday accused the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) of seeking to exploit citizens and plunge the nation back into subsidy fraud.

According to the civil society groups, DAPPMAN’s demand of ₦75 per litre for coastal freight and ops cost, translating to ₦1.505 trillion, is self-serving and nothing but greed. While calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to beam its searchlight on DAPPMAN, as the activities are undermining local refining, sabotaging Dangote Refinery from the start and threatening the Federal Government’s Reform Agenda.

The CSOs made this known in a statement jointly signed by Comrade Ibrahim Suleiman and Mrs. Grace Okonkwo, President and National Secretary of COCSON, respectively; As well as Rev. Dr. Matthew Ayodele and Imam Musa Abdullahi, National Chairman and Secretary of NIF, respectively, in Abuja.

The concerns raised by the group were accompanied by a protest march in the nation’s capital on Friday, September 26, 2025.

While backing the Dangote Refinery’s genuine efforts in transforming the Petroleum Industry, the groups vowed to file a suit against DAPPMAN in the Federal High Court for economic sabotage, conspiracy, and deliberate attempt to reintroduce subsidy through the backdoor.

The statement reads: “We condemn the shameful attempt by the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) to blackmail Nigerians into paying a backdoor subsidy of ₦1.505 trillion annually.

“This demand is not just outrageous; it is treachery against the Nigerian people. It is economic sabotage disguised as business.

“At such a critical time, for DAPPMAN to demand that Nigerians underwrite their inefficiencies with ₦1.5 trillion yearly is nothing but wickedness. It would rob our hospitals of funding, deny schools resources, cripple infrastructure development, and keep our nation shackled to poverty. This is not subsidy — it is extortion.”

On why DAPPMAN must be checked by the government, the groups maintained that the body had become a national threat.

“They Undermine Local Refining: Dangote Refinery has exported over 3.2 million metric tonnes of refined products in three months, proving capacity. Meanwhile, DAPPMAN imported 3.6 million metric tonnes, promoting dumping and sabotaging Nigeria’s economy.

“They Sabotaged Dangote from the Start: When Dangote Refinery was completed, the refinery had over 500 million litres of products in stock, and Dangote himself had to plead publicly with NNPC, marketers, and transporters to patronize him. Instead, they deliberately imported products from abroad to frustrate his operations.

“Faced with this sabotage, Dangote was forced to buy over 4,000 trucks to enter the oil transport sector. Who pushed him into this? Not Nigerians, but the very marketers and transporters now crying foul.

“Today, these same actors accuse him of chasing them out of the market to create a monopoly. Where is the monopoly?

“They abandoned him, tried to strangle his refinery, and left him no option but to strategize for survival. If they are not careful, he may enter retailing, and then he will fully integrate production, transport, and retail. That is not a monopoly; that is resilience and strategy in the face of cartel sabotage.

“They Threaten Tinubu’s Reform Agenda: Entertaining such demands would roll back the government’s courageous removal of fuel subsidy and tarnish Nigeria’s international credibility.

“Fellow Nigerians, this is not just a fight for Dangote Refinery. This is a fight for Nigeria’s future. This is a battle between nation-builders and nation-wreckers, between patriots and profiteers, between hope and despair.

“DAPPMAN’s demand for ₦1.505 trillion subsidy is a declaration of war on the Nigerian people. Our response is clear: we will resist, we will mobilise, we will litigate, and we will not rest until this cartel is defeated.

“We urge the Federal Government to stand firm, Nigerians to stand united, and Dangote Refinery to stand strong. Together, we will ensure that no group, no cartel, and no vested interest will derail Nigeria’s refining revolution.”

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DNKI President Champions Humanitarian Service, Sustainable Community Development

Published

23 hours ago

October 21, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Samania

The President of De Norsemen Kclub International (DNKI), Chief Oliver Patrick Ityohegh, has reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to humanitarian service, stressing the importance of supporting vulnerable people and improving community welfare beyond the annual celebration of Humanitarian Day.

Ityohegh stated this during the organisation’s Cauldron Night and Award Presentation held to commemorate its 2026 Humanitarian Day celebration, theme: “Humanity First: Advancing Hope, Dignity and Community Well-being.” organised by the DNKI Abuja Chapter.

He emphasised that humanitarian service should be a continuous responsibility driven by compassion, solidarity and a commitment to making a meaningful difference in society.

According to him, DNKI’s humanitarian activities reflect its dedication to giving back to society and supporting people in need, while encouraging members to sustain initiatives that promote human dignity and community well-being.

He added that the organisation would continue to strengthen its humanitarian engagements through practical interventions aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable people and promoting community development.

Speaking at the event, the representative of the Abuja Chapter Chairman and Chairman of its Advisory Council, Prince Efiong Okpe, said the organisation’s humanitarian activities extended beyond the annual celebration of Humanitarian Day on October 15.

Okpe explained that DNKI undertook several initiatives throughout the year, including blood donation exercises, visits to hospitals and correctional centres, as well as support for orphanages and other vulnerable groups.

According to him, the organisation also collaborated with humanitarian bodies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to identify areas of need and provide assistance within its available resources.

He described Humanitarian Day as an opportunity for members to renew their commitment to service and demonstrate solidarity with people facing difficult circumstances.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Planning Committee and Coordinator of the DNKI Gwagwalada Zone, Mr Etudaiye Hamzat, disclosed that the chapter had provided financial assistance to some members to help pay their children’s school fees, alongside distributing bags of rice and other relief items to members experiencing hardship.

Hamzat explained that the interventions followed concerns over the difficulties some members faced in meeting their family responsibilities, particularly the rising cost of their children’s education.

He maintained that supporting members in need was consistent with the organisation’s humanitarian principles, adding that DNKI remained committed to extending assistance to non-members and vulnerable communities as part of its commitment to leading by example.

Looking ahead, Hamzat said the Abuja Chapter planned to expand its humanitarian outreach to remote communities within the FCT, with particular attention to orphanages, schools and widows facing difficulties in meeting their family responsibilities.

He also recalled previous interventions for internally displaced persons (IDPs), which included the distribution of food, clothing and educational materials, noting that the chapter intended to scale up such initiatives in the coming year.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to outstanding members and distinguished non-members in recognition of their contributions to humanitarian service.

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