Nigeria's Dangote refinery has raised alarm over the import of substandard petroleum products into the country and the lack of laboratory facilities by the country's oil regulator.

The refinery noted that these products, which include goods for everyday use and vehicle parts, are allegedly being brought into the country by marketers in collaboration with international traders.

The Punch earlier reported that marketers recently accused the Dangote refinery of selling petrol at a higher cost than what is imported into the country.

"Dangote is selling to bulk buyers at N1,015/litre, but to marketers who are not buying in bulk, the refinery is selling at N1,028/litre."

“But imported PMS is cheaper than the cost of Dangote’ own, and that is why he is doing all he can to ensure that the government stops the importation of fuel,” the dealer told the Punch.

Dangote, while refuting the claims said it set its ex-depot price of petrol at N990 per litre for sale into trucks, and N960 for ships. The refinery added that its fuel price was benchmarked against international prices.

The refinery disclosed this in a statement signed by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina while responding to issues raised by Nigerian petroleum marketers.

"If anyone claims they can land PMS at a price cheaper than what we are selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low quality products into the country" the statement added.

Chiejina also revealed that an international trading company has set up an oil depot just close to the Dangote Refinery, with the sole intention of undercutting Dangote's high-quality production by flooding the market with cheaper, inferior products.

The refinery spokesperson further accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of not having the required laboratory facilities to detect substandard products imported into the country, showing how easy dangerous goods can easily slip through the cracks and end up in the hands of unsuspecting consumers.