The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is set to commence nationwide fuel distribution using a newly acquired fleet of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas CNG-powered trucks, in what industry stakeholders have described as a major breakthrough for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, disclosed that the trucks are currently being numbered and could hit the roads within a week. He noted that while the refinery had earlier scheduled August 15, 2025, for the deployment, the launch was slightly delayed despite the arrival of many trucks.

“I spoke with the management. They are currently numbering the trucks. Once that process is completed, in about a week, they will start the distribution,” Maigandi said. He assured Nigerians that the direct-to-market model would cut out middlemen, ease transportation costs, and ultimately bring down pump prices.

The refinery recently took delivery of the CNG trucks, a capital investment estimated at N720 billion, in line with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas policy. The trucks are being imported through Apapa Port.

In a statement, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals described the development as “a groundbreaking step in Nigeria’s fuel distribution network,” stressing that the initiative underscores its commitment to innovation and efficiency.

“The commencement of this initiative will significantly lower distribution costs and improve fuel availability nationwide. This model is expected to reduce transportation bottlenecks, foster transparency, and strengthen energy security,” the company said.

Dangote added that the privately owned refinery spends more than N1.07 trillion annually on logistics and that the new scheme will provide relief to over 42 million Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises by lowering energy costs and boosting profitability.

The refinery emphasized that beyond efficiency gains, the move supports environmental sustainability, economic growth, and inflation reduction by cutting fuel distribution expenses.

Industry analysts say the rollout of CNG-powered trucks by Africa’s largest refinery marks a new phase in Nigeria’s quest for affordable energy and a more resilient supply chain.