Dangote Refinery Debunks Shutdown Rumours, Insists on 50m Litres Daily Petrol Supply

• Reaffirms N699/litre gantry price as marketers evacuate over 48m litres last Sunday

•Lampoons fuel importers for allegedly spreading misinformation, exploiting Nigerians

Peter Uzoho

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed rumours claiming the refinery was shutting down for maintenance, describing the story as false and misleading.

In a statement issued yesterday, the refinery emphasised that production remained ongoing, stable, and uninterrupted at the 650,000 barrels per day facility.

The Aliko Dangote-owned world’s largest single-train oil refinery based in Lagos also insisted that it had maintained its over 50 million litres daily petrol supply in Nigeria.

The refinery equally reaffirmed its N699/litre gantry price, saying marketers evacuated over 48 million litres last Sunday.

The statement said, “Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to operate at scale and retains the capacity to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily through January and February, subject solely to market demand.”

It added that on January 4, the refinery produced 50 million litres of PMS and evacuated 48 million litres via its gantry.

 “Current stock levels cover over 20 days of national consumption, effectively dispelling any concerns about supply,” the company stated.

The refinery clarified that routine maintenance on specific units, including the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC), did not interrupt overall production, owing to the sophisticated and integrated design of its processing units.

It added that other critical units, such as the Naphtha Hydrotreater, CCR Reformer, and Hydrocracker, remained fully operational, producing PMS, Diesel (Automotive Gas Oil), and Jet A-1.

The refinery stated, “Dangote Petroleum Refinery confirms that it has consistently maintained adequate PMS availability for the domestic market. From 16 December 2025 to date, the refinery has loaded between 31 million and 48 million litres of PMS daily from its gantry, in line with prevailing market demand.

“These volumes are fully verifiable against depot loading records maintained by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in the normal course of its regulatory responsibilities.”

The refinery also reaffirmed its ex-gantry price of N699 per litre for PMS, available to all marketers and bulk consumers. It encouraged filling stations, large-scale users, and institutional buyers to patronise locally refined products, which were more affordable, reliable, and of high quality, rather than relying on imported alternatives.

“By sourcing PMS locally at N699 per litre, marketers are better positioned to pass on price relief to consumers, enhance market stability, conserve foreign exchange, and support Nigeria’s broader economic recovery and energy security objectives,” the refinery said.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery accused fuel importers of promoting false reports to justify recent, unwarranted increases in petrol pump prices, stating that such actions run counter to national interest and impose unnecessary hardship on Nigerians.

According to the refinery, without domestic refining, petrol prices could rise to as much as N1,400 per litre in a post-subsidy environment, highlighting the stabilising role of local production.

The statement said, “Recent price movements further highlight an uncomfortable reality. In the absence of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, fuel importers would continue to operate without restraint, with petrol prices potentially escalating to levels estimated at up to N1,400 per litre in a post-subsidy environment.

“The refinery’s operations have therefore served as a critical stabilising force in the downstream petroleum market.”

Reiterating its commitment to energy security and market stability, Dangote Petroleum Refinery said it would continue supplying high-quality petroleum products, maintaining steady availability, and supporting Nigeria’s broader economic growth.

It advised stakeholders and the public to disregard misinformation and rely on verified sources.

“Dangote Petroleum Refinery will continue to act in the national interest by supplying high-quality, locally refined petroleum products while supporting Nigeria’s economic stability, energy independence, and industrial growth,” it concluded.