Dangote Refinery hits 50m litres fuel daily, declares end to Nigeria’s fuel scarcity

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has assured Nigerians of a permanent end to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) scarcity, asserting that the nation has now entered a phase of sustained fuel abundance powered by domestic refining, stable prices, and large-scale supply.

This transition from chronic shortage to continuous production was framed by the company as a pivotal shift toward cleaner fuels, economic stability, and energy sovereignty.

The assurance was given in Lagos on Wednesday by the refinery’s newly appointed Managing Director, Mr. David Bird.

Bird stated that the facility is now consistently supplying over 50 million litres of finished fuel daily, with output sometimes exceeding 52 million litres. Production levels are being matched by off-take, enabling the refinery to meet domestic demand while exporting surplus volumes.

He highlighted that the stable availability of locally refined petrol is significantly contributing to Nigeria’s broader economic stability, including support for the naira, as dependence on fuel imports—which exposes the economy to global price volatility—declines. Bird noted that 30 to 40 percent of the refinery’s crude supply is currently sourced under the crude-for-naira programme, which he described as critical for exchange rate stability and long-term economic planning.

Beyond volume, Bird emphasised that Nigeria is now consuming world-class fuels produced to Euro 5 standards, marking a major leap in product quality and public health. He added that the refinery exports gasoline to Europe and jet fuel to markets like Dubai, demonstrating the global competitiveness of its output. He criticised the historical dumping of substandard fuels in West Africa, stating that Dangote’s low-sulphur, cleaner products represent a structural shift for the region.

Addressing concerns from some industry players over the current retail price of N739 per litre, Bird dismissed claims that the pricing was anti-competitive.

He maintained that the price reflects market realities and offers consumer choice, while calling for a regulatory framework that better supports a competitive, liberalised downstream market.

On distribution, Bird disclosed that approximately 4,000 trucks are currently positioned at the refinery, with free trucking as part of its logistics strategy.

The final step before a full nationwide rollout, he said, is deploying a computerised security and monitoring system to ensure accurate delivery volumes and eliminate supply chain losses.

Bird pointed to the refinery’s seamless fuel supply during the recent Christmas and New Year holidays as proof of its growing capacity and operational resilience, calling it a milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward fuel self-sufficiency.

Looking ahead, he outlined expansion plans to increase polypropylene production from 800,000 tonnes to 1.2 million tonnes via an additional propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit, with a longer-term target of 2.4 million tonnes.

This expansion aims to support domestic manufacturing, deepen import substitution, and catalyse a large industrial ecosystem.

Bird explained that the refinery is currently in a stabilisation phase following the ramp-up of several units in the second half of 2025. Its ability to maintain daily supplies above 50 million litres reflects its design as a highly flexible merchant refining, blending, and trading platform.

Also speaking, the Head of Communications for the Dangote Group, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, said recent global supply disruptions underscore the strategic importance of domestic refining for oil-producing nations like Nigeria. Bird reinforced that local refining insulates the economy from international oil and product price shocks.

On future diversification, Bird said the refinery is exploring opportunities in detergents, base oils, lubricants, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), driven by population growth and import substitution needs. Steel structures for the planned expansion are expected to begin rising before the end of 2026, as the company pursues what he termed a “ruthless replication” strategy to scale operations efficiently.

Bird concluded that Dangote Refinery is a continental project aimed at driving price stability within international benchmark ranges while ensuring Nigeria’s fuel supply meets the quality standards of leading global markets.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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