Dangote Refinery says its 45m litres daily petrol output exceeds Nigeria’s need, backs import duty

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced it is now producing 45 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), or petrol, and 25 million litres of diesel daily, asserting that this output exceeds Nigeria’s domestic demand.

The disclosure comes amidst mixed reactions to the federal government’s recent approval of a 15% duty on the importation of these fuels.

In a statement, the Group’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, reaffirmed the refinery’s commitment to ensuring a steady and uninterrupted supply of products across the nation.

Chiejina defended the new import tariff, describing it as a “good start” and a necessary measure to protect local industries from unfair competition.

He argued that it would be “unpatriotic” to criticise the policy, which is designed to safeguard domestic production.

“Our refinery is currently loading over 45 million litres of PMS and 25 million litres of diesel daily, which exceeds Nigeria’s demand,” Chiejina stated. “We are working collaboratively with regulatory agencies and distribution partners to guarantee efficient nationwide delivery.”

The company highlighted the broader economic benefits of its operations, claiming that increased local production has helped stabilise the exchange rate, strengthen the Naira, and reduce foreign exchange outflows.

Chiejina warned that the continued importation of products that are locally available in sufficient quantity undermines Nigeria’s industrialisation.

He labelled such practices as “dumping,” which he said destroys local industries, creates unemployment, and leads to revenue loss for the government.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for the “courageous and visionary leadership” behind the tariff policy, stating that it would encourage fresh investments in the downstream oil sector.

To illustrate the refinery’s impact, Chiejina provided price comparisons. He disclosed that the average pump price of petrol dropped from about N1,030 per litre in September 2024 to between N841 and N851 in September 2025 following the implementation of the refinery’s Direct Delivery Scheme.

Similarly, diesel prices fell from a range of N1,400-N1,700 per litre to around N1,020 per litre in the same period.

He concluded that Nigeria’s current petrol price of about $0.60 per litre is significantly lower than in neighbouring West African countries, where prices range from $1.20 to $2.00, crediting the Dangote Refinery for this affordability and supply stability.

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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