Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, petroleum marketer Gabriel Ogbechie, and the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria have emerged as leading winners at the maiden Petroleum Prize, Recognition and Awards 2025, organised by digital oil and gas intelligence platform, Petroleumprice.ng.
The initiative, unveiled to promote performance, accountability, and measurable impact across Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, is the first industry recognition framework built largely on user participation and supported by structured expert assessment.
In a statement on Thursday, the platform said the Petroleum Prize was designed to depart from conventional industry honours by adopting a hybrid evaluation model that combines real-time market experience with professional scrutiny.
Dangote was named Downstream Sector Personality of the Year in recognition of his influence on market structure and supply dynamics, while Ogbechie, founder of Rainoil, clinched the Petroleum Depot Owner of the Year award. MEMAN emerged as Downstream Petroleum Industry Advocate of the Year.
Other winners include MRS Oil, which was named Best Fuel Station of the Year, and Samson Victoria of BOVAS, who won Best Female Petroleum Depot Owner of the Year.
The statement read, “Petroleumprice.ng has introduced the Petroleum Prize, Recognition and Awards 2025, a new industry initiative designed to highlight performance, accountability, and impact across Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
“The awards, which are being held for the first time, focus on recognising operators and institutions whose activities have shaped pricing, supply reliability, advocacy, and market development within the downstream value chain.
“Award Recipients for 2025: The 2025 Petroleum Prize recipients include: Best Fuel Station of the Year: MRS Oil, Petroleum Depot Owner of the Year: Gabriel Ogbechie (Rainoil), Best Female Petroleum Depot Owner of the Year: Samson Victoria (BOVAS), Downstream Petroleum Industry Advocate of the Year: Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Downstream Sector Personality of the Year: Aliko Dangote”
According to Petroleumprice.ng, the awards focused on recognising operators and institutions whose activities have shaped fuel pricing, supply reliability, advocacy, and market development within the downstream value chain during the review period.
It explained that 60 per cent of the final score was derived from votes cast by users across the downstream sector, including marketers, depot operators, transporters, and end-users, reflecting real-world operational impact.
The remaining 40 per cent came from a four-member independent panel of judges, who assessed nominees based on measurable impact, consistency of performance, and contribution to market stability.
“The hybrid model balances public experience with expert judgment, ensuring that outcomes reflect both market realities and professional evaluation,” the platform stated.
Petroleumprice.ng said the awards were introduced in response to growing calls for transparent, data-driven recognition in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, particularly at a time of far-reaching reforms.
Nigeria’s downstream industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, following the deregulation of petrol pricing, expansion of storage and distribution infrastructure, and increased private-sector participation, including large-scale refining investments.
Against this backdrop, the platform said the Petroleum Prize seeks to document leadership and accountability during a period of transition, rather than promote individual brands or commercial interests.
It added that future editions of the awards would continue to rely on open participation, published criteria, and a consistent scoring framework to preserve credibility and independence.
