The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) says it will suspend the lifting and dispensing of petroleum products nationwide for three days starting Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN’s national president, announced the decision in Abuja, while a statement by Joseph Obele, the association’s national publicity secretary, said the action would take effect from midnight on Tuesday if ongoing consultations fail.
According to the statement, the planned shutdown is aimed at resisting monopolistic practices in the downstream sector and safeguarding workers’ rights.
“This action will be peaceful and lawful. PETROAN remains committed to price stability and a productive petroleum industry,” the association said.
Gillis-Harry urged President Bola Tinubu, the minister of state for petroleum (oil), the chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and security chiefs to intervene to avert hardship.
The PETROAN president warned that the “aggressive business approach” of Dangote Refinery could drive private depot owners, modular refineries, marketers, and transport operators out of business, leading to mass unemployment and worsening economic conditions. He compared the situation to the cement industry’s dominance by a few players.
The association said it has set up a 120-man compliance team to ensure safety at retail outlets during the industrial action.
It added that an emergency national meeting had been held where members resolved to hold consultations through Monday, but if no progress is made, the shutdown will go ahead.
“As a critical stakeholder, PETROAN will continue to support healthy competition in the oil and gas sector. This is vital to protecting jobs, stabilising prices, and sustaining the Nigerian economy,” the statement read.
