Dangote Refinery Debunks Shutdown Rumours, Assures Nigerians of Steady Petrol Supply

Dangote Refinery Debunks Shutdown Rumours, Assures Nigerians of Steady Petrol Supply

By Auwal Ahmad Umar

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed widespread reports suggesting it is planning a shutdown for maintenance, describing the claims as false, misleading and designed to misinform the public.

In a statement issued on Monday, the refinery clarified that its operations remain stable and uninterrupted, with the capacity to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily, depending on market demand. It disclosed that on January 4 alone, the facility produced 50 million litres of petrol, while 48 million litres were evacuated through its gantry.

According to the refinery, current stock levels are sufficient to cover more than 20 days of national consumption, effectively putting to rest fears of fuel scarcity.

Addressing concerns about maintenance activities, Dangote Refinery explained that routine work on some units, including the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit, does not disrupt overall production. This, it said, is due to the refinery’s advanced and integrated design. Other critical units such as the Naphtha Hydrotreater, CCR Reformer and Hydrocracker remain fully operational, producing PMS, Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and Jet A-1.

The company further revealed that from December 16, 2025, to date, daily PMS loadings from its gantry have ranged between 31 million and 48 million litres, in line with prevailing market demand. It noted that these figures are verifiable through depot loading records kept by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

Dangote Refinery also reaffirmed its ex-gantry price of N699 per litre for petrol, stressing that the rate is available to all marketers and bulk buyers. It urged filling stations and large-scale consumers to patronise locally refined products, which it said are more affordable, reliable and of superior quality compared to imported fuel.

The refinery accused some fuel importers of spreading false narratives to justify recent increases in pump prices, warning that such actions undermine national interest and worsen the burden on Nigerians. It argued that without local refining capacity, petrol prices could soar as high as N1,400 per litre in a post-subsidy market.

According to the statement, the operations of the Dangote Refinery have played a key role in stabilising the downstream petroleum sector by curbing price volatility, conserving foreign exchange and strengthening Nigeria’s energy security.

Reaffirming its commitment to the country, the refinery pledged to continue supplying high-quality petroleum products, ensuring steady availability and supporting economic growth. It advised the public and industry stakeholders to ignore unverified reports and rely on credible information sources.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery concluded that it remains focused on serving the national interest by promoting energy independence, market stability and industrial development in Nigeria.