Dangote Refinery Smashes Shutdown Rumours
…Pledges 50m litres Daily Supply
By Patience Ikpeme
The management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has debunked widely circulated reports suggesting a total operational shutdown for maintenance.
In a statement released on Monday, the refinery described the claims as false and misleading, assuring the public that its massive facility remains fully functional and ready to meet the nation’s energy needs.
Production at the multi-billion-dollar complex is currently described as ongoing, stable, and uninterrupted. To back this claim, the refinery revealed that on January 4, it produced 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and successfully evacuated 48 million litres through its gantry system.
“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 refinery stated.
The company also disclosed that current stock levels are sufficient to cover more than 20 days of national consumption, a fact that should calm any emerging fears of a looming fuel scarcity.
Addressing the technical aspect of the rumors, the refinery explained that while routine maintenance is a standard industry practice for specific units like the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit, the plant’s integrated design ensures these activities do not stop overall output.
While these units undergo scheduled checks, other critical segments—including the Naphtha Hydrotreater, CCR Reformer, and Hydrocracker—stay fully operational, churning out PMS, Diesel, and Jet A-1.
The statement further clarified the refinery’s consistent role in the market: “From 16 December 2025 to date, the refinery has loaded between 31 million and 48 million litres of PMS daily from its gantry, in line with prevailing market demand. These volumes are fully verifiable against depot loading records maintained by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).”
In a move that offers significant relief to the economy, the refinery confirmed it is sticking to its ex-gantry price of N699 per litre for petrol. Marketers and bulk consumers were urged to take advantage of this pricing, with the refinery pointing out that locally refined products are not only more affordable but of a higher quality than many imported alternatives.
“By sourcing PMS locally at N699 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,” the statement noted.
The refinery did not mince words regarding the origin of the shutdown rumors, accusing fuel importers of deliberately spreading misinformation. According to the company, these “false reports” are being used to justify recent, unwarranted hikes in pump prices at filling stations.
The refinery warned that without local production, Nigerians could be facing petrol prices as high as N1,400 per litre in the current post-subsidy environment.
“Recent price movements further highlight an uncomfortable reality. 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 N1,400 per litre. The refinery’s operations have therefore served as a critical stabilising force,” the management added.
Closing its address, the refinery promised to stay the course on national energy independence. “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.”
Stakeholders and the general public were advised to ignore the “misinformation” and rely only on verified operational data.
