Abuja:Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), has called for an open and competitive petroleum products market to enhance affordability and transparency in the downstream petroleum sector.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Gillis-Harry made this statement at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria. He praised the Dangote Petroleum Refinery for its investment in the sector but emphasized the need for other refiners and suppliers to partake in the market to prevent a monopoly.
Gillis-Harry highlighted the importance of promoting investments in additional refineries to boost domestic refining capacity, referencing the planned 25,000 barrels-per-day Azikel Refinery in Bayelsa as a key project. This, he noted, could significantly contribute to the country€š¬€ž¢s refining capacity.
He asserted that competition among refineries and suppliers would encourage market-based pricing and give consumers access to affordable products. He also called for stronger collaboration among upstream, midstream, and downstream operators to ensure effective coordination across the sectors.
PETROAN has developed a Petroleum Quality Assurance and Quality Control and Price Intelligence System to track product volumes, quality, and prices, which is expected to improve transparency and allow retailers to monitor product quality and source costs.
Gillis-Harry urged motorists to report any cases of under-dispensing at outlets associated with PETROAN, reaffirming the association’s commitment to accurate dispensing and collaboration with regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Despite the growth of alternative energy sources, Gillis-Harry concluded by stressing the continued relevance of crude oil and the need for Nigeria to protect its environment while maximizing its petroleum resources.