Dangote Finally Speaks on Reported Plans to Stop Petrol Production for 3 Months
- Dangote Petroleum Refinery has finally denied reports that it could shut its petrol unit for two to three months
- The conglomerate said that the plans to put the petrol production line offline due to a leak in the catalyst
- The $20 billion refinery, running at about 68% of capacity, has reshaped fuel flows by cutting Europe-to-West Africa gasoline exports and sending cargoes to the US East Coast
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has described reports that its petrol unit could be shut down for up to three months as 'fake news.'
Source: Getty Images
Reuters had reported, citing industry monitor IIR Energy, that the 650,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery’s 204,000 bpd Residue Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU) may be offline following catalyst leaks since around August 29, 2025 with a possible restart attempt scheduled for September. 20, 2025
Reacting to the report, Dangote Group spokesman Anthony Chiejina rejected the claim.
He questioned why the report used the term “could” if a shutdown was certain.
He said:
“Fake news. Why ‘could’ if they are sure?"
The $20 billion Lagos-based refinery, which began processing crude in January 2024, has already reshaped global fuel flows, slashing Europe-to-West Africa gasoline exports and sending its first shipments to the US East Coast this year, Punch reports.
Source: Getty Images
Kpler data shows EU and UK gasoline exports to Nigeria fell to an average of 120,000 bpd in the first half of 2025, down from about 200,000 bpd in 2024.
Dangote sells petrol to US
Dangote Refinery's growing influence in global oil product markets was again in play after it dispatched its first gasoline shipment to the United States.
The consignment left the refinery’s jetty near Lagos on 26 August aboard the vessel Gemini Pearl, carrying about 300,000 barrels of gasoline, according to shipping data from Kpler and industry sources.
The cargo is bound for the US East Coast and is likely to discharge at terminals in either New York or New Jersey.
The shipment is the first direct gasoline movement from Nigeria to America. Although Nigerian crude has long supplied US refiners, the country has historically depended on imports for its domestic fuel needs.
Dangote buys different crude to meet global demands
To ensure it can reach more customers, Dangote has also diversified its crude intake, importing Ghana’s Sankofa grade in August alongside U.S., Brazilian, Angolan and Nigerian grades.
Crude deliveries to the refinery hit a record 570,000 bpd in July, with U.S. light sweet crude accounting for about 60%, overtaking Nigerian supply for the first time.
The refinery is currently running at an estimated 445,000 bpd, or 68% of capacity, and plans a ramp-up to 700,000 bpd by December 2025, according to Kpler.
Dangote Refinery ready to meet Nigeria's daily petrol consumption
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Dangote Group has announced that its refinery is now producing 57 million litres of petrol daily.
This was disclosed during a recent tour of the refinery complex by a delegation from Zambia, led by the country’s Minister of Energy, Makozo Chikote, and also Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), to explore a partnership.
Dangote stated that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has enough petrol in storage to meet Nigeria's domestic demand.
Source: Legit.ng
