Dangote Petroleum Refinery has firmly denied reports suggesting it is shutting down operations for maintenance, describing the claims as false, misleading, and aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s fuel market.
Okay News reports that the refinery, in a statement issued on Monday, stressed that its operations remain fully active, with production running smoothly and without disruption.
According to the company, it currently has the capacity to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily through January and February, depending solely on market demand.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to operate at scale and retains the capacity to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily through January and February, subject solely to market demand,” the statement said.
The refinery disclosed that on January 4, it produced 50 million litres of PMS and evacuated 48 million litres through its gantry, adding that existing stock levels are sufficient to cover over 20 days of national consumption, a situation it said clearly rules out any imminent supply risk.
Addressing concerns around maintenance activities, the refinery clarified that routine work on certain processing units does not halt overall output. It explained that its integrated design allows production to continue even when specific units undergo scheduled servicing.
“Routine maintenance on specific units, including the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC), does not interrupt overall production, owing to the sophisticated and integrated design of our processing units,” the company stated.
It added that other critical units — including the Naphtha Hydrotreater, CCR Reformer, and Hydrocracker — remain fully operational, ensuring the continuous production of PMS, diesel (Automotive Gas Oil), and Jet A-1 fuel.
Providing further data, the refinery said that between December 16, 2025 and the present, it has consistently loaded between 31 million and 48 million litres of PMS daily, volumes it said are verifiable through depot loading records maintained by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“These volumes are fully verifiable against depot loading records maintained by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in the normal course of its regulatory responsibilities,” the statement noted.
Dangote Refinery also reaffirmed its ex-gantry price of ₦699 per litre for PMS, which it said remains available to all marketers and bulk consumers. The company urged filling stations, institutional buyers, and large-scale users to prioritise locally refined fuel over imports.
“By sourcing PMS locally at ₦699 per litre, marketers are better positioned to pass on price relief to consumers, enhance market stability, conserve foreign exchange, and support Nigeria’s broader economic recovery and energy security objectives,” it said.
The refinery accused fuel importers of spreading misinformation to justify what it described as unjustified increases in petrol pump prices, warning that such actions place unnecessary hardship on Nigerians.
According to the refinery, the absence of domestic refining capacity could have pushed petrol prices to extreme levels following subsidy removal.
“In the absence of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, fuel importers would continue to operate without restraint, with petrol prices potentially escalating to levels estimated at up to ₦1,400 per litre in a post-subsidy environment,” the statement said, describing its operations as a “critical stabilising force” in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
Reaffirming its long-term commitment, Dangote Refinery said it would continue to prioritise steady supply, high-quality products, and national interest, while urging Nigerians to ignore unverified reports.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery will continue to act in the national interest by supplying high-quality, locally refined petroleum products while supporting Nigeria’s economic stability, energy independence, and industrial growth,” the company concluded.
