The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has responded forcefully to criticism from petroleum marketers, asserting that it has the capacity to meet and exceed Nigeria’s fuel needs while still exporting surplus refined products to other African nations.
This comes amid heightened tensions in the oil and gas sector following allegations from the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), which claimed that the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility had fallen short of supplying sufficient fuel to local markets.
Speaking in confidence, senior officials at Dangote Refinery dismissed these claims as “misleading and self-serving,” arguing that Nigeria’s true fuel consumption figures have long been distorted—particularly during the era of fuel subsidies.
“We produce more than enough fuel for local use and even export significant volumes daily. The talk that we can’t meet demand is not backed by facts,” one senior Dangote official stated.
Aliko Dangote, the refinery’s founder, recently accused entrenched interests—largely import-dependent marketers—of fighting back against the refinery’s operations. According to Dangote, these interests benefitted immensely from decades of subsidy-era profiteering and are now resisting a new order built on local refining and transparency.
Despite these challenges, Dangote has expressed confidence in overcoming the resistance.
“I’ve been fighting my entire business life, and I’m 100% sure we’ll win this fight too,” he said in a recent address.
In a swift counter, DAPPMAN Executive Secretary Olufemi Adewole refuted Dangote’s “cabal” claim but acknowledged there are vested interests attempting to protect billions in investments made in private depots and import infrastructure.
Adewole further alleged that Dangote’s pricing strategy—particularly last-minute price slashes—has destabilized the downstream market, causing financial losses for independent marketers.
“We are not crying foul, but we are bleeding quietly to remain sustainable,” Adewole said.
Still, data from the Dangote refinery contradicts DAPPMAN’s assertions. According to Davakumar Edwin, Vice President of the Dangote Group, the refinery produces 57 million litres of petrol, 37 million litres of diesel, and 20 million litres of jet fuel daily. This far exceeds Nigeria’s current estimated daily consumption of around 46–50 million litres.
Moreover, the refinery reportedly stores over 4.7 billion litres of petroleum products across 177 tanks, including:
600 million litres of petrol (18 days’ supply),
408 million litres of aviation fuel (136 days),
340 million litres of diesel (34 days), and
2.4 billion litres of crude oil (20 days).
A consultant to the refinery questioned how marketers could assert there’s a shortage without access to inventory data.
“How did they assess our stock? They are making baseless assumptions,” the consultant said.
The ongoing row has also highlighted discrepancies in data from regulatory bodies. While the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) pegged fuel imports at just 14.7 million litres per day in April 2025, another official from the agency said domestic refineries still contribute less than 50% of daily supply—suggesting ongoing reliance on imports.
Despite such conflicting numbers, the refinery maintains it will soon reach its full production capacity. Aliko Dangote has reiterated that no more than 40% of the facility’s output is needed domestically, with the rest earmarked for export.
“We are building an African refinery. Our goal is not just local sufficiency but regional integration,” Dangote affirmed.
Industry watchers believe the fight over control of the fuel supply chain is just beginning, especially with President Bola Tinubu’s “Nigeria First” import restriction policy gaining traction. Analysts warn that market resistance to this shift could intensify, as those who profited from imports are unlikely to relinquish dominance without a battle.
Nonetheless, with its current production scale, extensive storage capacity, and growing export strategy, the Dangote Refinery appears positioned not just to redefine Nigeria’s downstream sector—but to challenge the status quo that has long plagued the nation’s energy supply.