The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has refuted recent allegations by oil marketers, stating that it has the capacity not only to meet Nigeria’s fuel needs but to supply other countries as well.
Responding through senior officials, the refinery stated it produces well beyond domestic demand and is actively involved in exports.
This comes in the wake of Aliko Dangote’s claim that powerful marketers and traders are attempting to sabotage the $20 billion refinery project.
Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), countered by stating that private depot owners are the ones sustaining fuel supply across the country.
He cited data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), claiming the Dangote refinery hasn’t met even the reduced local demand.
In rebuttal, a top official from Dangote’s team stated that the refinery dispatches millions of litres daily and accused marketers of manipulating historical consumption figures, particularly during the fuel subsidy era.
He argued that Nigeria’s actual fuel usage has been exaggerated and stressed that the refinery supplies both the local market and international buyers.
Another refinery official supported President Bola Tinubu’s import restriction policy, calling it essential for national economic growth.
He warned that some importers may resist the policy to protect personal gains.
DAPPMAN previously accused Dangote of disrupting the market by reducing prices after fuel cargoes had already left the refinery, causing financial stress among marketers.
Dangote’s representatives pushed back, accusing certain marketers of shady dealings during the subsidy period and placing profits above public interest.
A consultant affiliated with the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility challenged critics to disclose how they evaluated the refinery’s inventory before claiming it couldn’t meet demand.
During a tour, Dangote revealed Nigeria uses less than 50% of the refinery’s output, with the remaining 60% earmarked for export, largely to other African countries.
Davakumar Edwin, Vice President of Dangote Group, supported this with figures: the refinery produces 104 million litres daily, 57 million litres of petrol, 20 million litres of jet fuel, and 37 million litres of diesel compared to Nigeria’s estimated need of just 46 million litres.
He noted that in February, the refinery supplied 33 million litres of petrol daily, along with 10 million litres of diesel and 3 million litres of aviation fuel.
Storage facilities include tanks for 600 million litres of petrol (18 days), 408 million litres of aviation fuel (136 days), and 340 million litres of diesel (34 days), in addition to crude oil tanks capable of holding 2.4 billion litres.
Dangote added that refinery operations will help determine Nigeria’s actual fuel consumption by monitoring the movement of all trucks and vessels carrying its products.
The NMDPRA has already reported a sharp decline in petrol imports from 44.6 million litres per day in August 2024 to 14.7 million litres by April 2025 signalling growing reliance on local refining.
