The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has again clarified its operations following allegations that it was importing finished fuel into Nigeria.
It dismissed reports claiming that it imports finished petroleum products (petrol, diesel, or aviation fuel), describing them as false and rooted in a misunderstanding of the standard refinery’s operations.
According to a statement released by the refinery, the CEO, David Bird, said the facility is designed as a merchant refinery, a model found in parts of Asia, the United States and Europe. This allows it to source different grades of crude and intermediate components from the global market to maximise the output of high-value, clean fuels.
Bird, who spoke during a media briefing held on Wednesday, February 4, in Lagos, confirmed that the company only imports intermediate feedstocks—semi-processed materials—to optimise its refining units, but not finished petroleum products.
He explained that materials such as naphtha, straight-run gas oil, vacuum gas oil (VGO), and reformate are often mistaken for finished fuel by the public. These are feedstocks that must undergo further chemical processing at the Lekki facility to meet market standards, he stated.
Bird emphasised that it was standard industry practice for refineries to process intermediate or semi-processed products into finished fuels. He emphasised that this does not equate to importing finished petroleum products.
The refinery reiterated that all petrol leaving its gates meets Euro-V standards (50 ppm sulphur), which is significantly cleaner than the “dirty fuel” historically imported into the country.
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“DPRP produces high-quality fuels aligned with international environmental and health standards. Our gasoline is lead-free and MMT-free, with 50 parts per million sulphur, while our diesel meets ultra-low sulphur standards. These specifications help reduce emissions, protect engines, and safeguard public health,” Bird said.
He added that the refinery only offers high-quality finished products and can never supply semi-finished products. According to him, semi-finished products need further processing and are not for direct use in vehicles.
He maintained that the refinery’s products can be exported to any part of the world because it meets world standards.
Pinnacle daily reports that the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery recently announced that it now has the capacity to supply 75 million litres of petrol per day, against an estimated domestic consumption figure of 50 million litres per day. The refinery also said it can supply 25 million litres per day against an estimated consumption figure of 14 million litres per day and 20 million litres of aviation fuel against an estimated consumption of 4 million litres per day.
This comes amidst a backdrop of rising competition between local refiners and importers.
Data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in late 2025 showed that despite Dangote’s presence, fuel imports still remained high.
The refinery had accused certain “vested interests” and regulatory actors of undermining local production by allowing the continued importation of cheaper, lower-quality fuels.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
