Dangote Petroleum Refinery has affirmed that it continues to produce petrol and other refined petroleum products at stable levels, despite ongoing maintenance on some of its key processing units, countering reports that operations have slowed or been suspended.
In a statement issued on Monday, the refinery clarified that routine maintenance on its crude distillation unit (CDU) and residual fluid catalytic cracking unit (RFCC) has not disrupted production, as other critical units within the integrated facility remain fully operational.
This clarification follows reports earlier in the month suggesting that the refinery had shut down its petrol unit to carry out upgrades. Company officials dismissed the claims, stressing that fuel output has continued seamlessly through alternative processing systems.
According to the refinery, its integrated design enables continuous production even when individual units are taken offline for scheduled servicing. It disclosed that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel and aviation fuel are currently being produced through operational units such as the naphtha hydrotreater, continuous catalytic reformer and hydrocracker.
“The refinery is not shutting down. Production remains stable and uninterrupted,” the company said.
Dangote Refinery further disclosed that it is capable of supplying between 40 million and 50 million litres of petrol daily through January and February, subject to market demand. It noted that output peaked at 50 million litres on January 4, with 48 million litres loaded and evacuated through its gantry on the same day.
The company added that its existing stock levels are sufficient to meet more than 20 days of national consumption. Since mid-December, daily petrol loadings have ranged between 31 million and 48 million litres, reflecting fluctuations in market demand. These figures, it said, are verifiable through depot loading records maintained by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The refinery also reiterated that it continues to sell petrol at an ex-gantry price of ₦699 per litre to marketers and bulk buyers, urging distributors to prioritise locally refined products over imported fuel.
Sourcing petroleum products domestically, the company said, would help stabilise pump prices, ease pressure on foreign exchange and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security. It further argued that the presence of domestic refining capacity has helped curb price volatility in the downstream market, warning that in the absence of local refining, petrol prices could rise sharply due to heavy reliance on imports.
