Dangote pledges 50 million litres daily petrol from today

Dangote Petroleum Refinery will begin supplying 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day to the Nigerian market from December 1, as part of a broader plan to deliver 1.5 billion litres monthly through the festive period and into early 2026.

The pledge, announced over the weekend by Aliko Dangote, president and chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, is positioned as a major intervention to avert the fuel scarcity that often marks the holiday season.

Speaking during a facility tour by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), Dangote said the refinery has the stock and production capacity to sustain uninterrupted nationwide supply.

“In line with our commitment to national wellbeing, and consistent with our track record of ensuring a holiday season free of fuel scarcity, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will supply 1.5 billion litres of PMS to the Nigerian market this month. This represents 50 million litres per day,” he said.

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He added that a formal notification has been sent to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The company plans to maintain the same output in January 2026 and increase supply to 1.7 billion litres in February, which amounts to about 60 million litres per day.

“Our priority is to ensure Nigeria receives the products it needs. This is not driven by profit motives; it is about guaranteeing the availability of essential energy products. It is similar to the transformation we delivered in the cement sector,” Dangote said.

He noted that current PMS production at the refinery stands between 40 million and 45 million litres per day, adding that the planned 50-million-litre daily supply should address doubts about the ability of domestic refineries to meet national demand. Nigeria’s PMS consumption has long hovered around 50–60 million litres per day, according to industry estimates.

Dangote also disclosed that the company is engaging petroleum marketers to strengthen nationwide distribution. Part of this effort includes supporting the transition to Compressed Natural Gas–powered haulage fleets, which he said would reduce logistics costs and deepen ongoing energy reforms.

“We are working closely with marketers to ensure efficient distribution and timely access in every region of the country,” he said.

The refinery, one of Africa’s largest industrial assets, is advancing plans to expand its processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day. Dangote said the expansion will engage more than 100,000 workers across the refinery and the adjacent Dangote Fertiliser complex, reflecting the Group’s long-term ambition to drive Nigeria’s industrial and energy transformation while accelerating job creation.

He added that public confidence in the refinery’s economic role has helped sustain momentum. “We remain committed to our vision, and we are encouraged by the strong public support for the company’s role in shaping Nigeria’s economic development,” he said.

During the SSDC visit, managing director Usoro Akpabio commended Dangote’s leadership and described the refinery as a symbol of emerging industrial renewal. She said the South-South region—home to most of Nigeria’s crude reserves, gas assets, maritime infrastructure and petro-industrial clusters—remains the country’s natural energy corridor and is well positioned for strategic partnerships.

Akpabio said deeper collaboration between the region and the Dangote Group could unlock opportunities in product distribution, CNG infrastructure, petrochemicals, agriculture and employment.

“As the statutory development body for the South-South, SSDC is mandated to drive regional economic development, infrastructure integration, human capital advancement, and private-sector–led growth,” she said. “We stand prepared to support state-level policies and regulatory frameworks that enhance ease of doing business across our six states, particularly in sectors like gas processing, agro-industrial value chains, renewable energy, logistics and export manufacturing.”

She added that enabling conditions for private-sector investors such as the Dangote Group would be critical to advancing the Federal Government’s energy stability agenda and positioning the South-South as a strategic growth hub.

In a letter to the NMDPRA, David Bird, the refinery’s managing director, reaffirmed the company’s readiness to make its production and stock data fully transparent. Beginning December 1, the refinery will host NMDPRA officials onsite to verify and publish daily supply volumes.

“In the spirit of full transparency to the public, we are willing to publish our daily production and stock volumes in both online and print media,” Bird said.

He requested the Authority’s support to ensure seamless importation of crude, feedstocks and blending components—inputs that remain essential to maintaining maximum throughput at the refinery.

Bird added that the company continues to face delays in vessel clearance, which disrupt operations, hinder product evacuation and impose additional costs on marketers and consumers.

“We seek the full support of the NMDPRA to allow Dangote Refinery to import our crude, feedstocks and blending components unhindered, as well as support the lifting of our products by vessel,” he wrote.

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