Dangote refinery: Our units undergoing routine maintenance — but petrol production not interrupted

Dangote refinery says it continues to produce petroleum products through the operation of other critical units despite maintenance on its crude distillation unit (CDU) and residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) units.

On December 3, reports claimed that the refinery shut its petrol unit over maintenance and upgrades.

An official at the refinery had told TheCable that production was still ongoing.

In a statement on Monday, the refinery said routine maintenance on certain units does not interrupt overall production operations.

“Dangote Petroleum Refinery further clarifies that, due to the sophistication and integrated design of its processing units, routine maintenance on specific units, including the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC), does not interrupt overall production,” the statement reads.

“The refinery continues to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), and Jet A-1 through the operation of other critical units, including but not limited to the Naphtha Hydrotreater, CCR Reformer, and Hydrocracker, which remain fully operational.”

The refinery also said it has consistently ensured sufficient petrol supply for the domestic market.

Furthermore, Dangote refinery denied claims it was “shutting down due to maintenance issues”.

“The refinery is not shutting down. Production remains ongoing, stable, and uninterrupted,” the refinery said.

“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.

“On January 4, the refinery produced 50 million litres of PMS and evacuated 48 million litres via its gantry. Current stock levels cover over 20 days of national consumption, effectively dispelling any concerns about supply.”

From December 16, 2025, to date, the statement noted that the refinery had loaded between 31 million and 48 million litres of petrol daily from its gantry, in line with prevailing market demand.

According to the refinery, the volumes are verifiable against depot loading records maintained by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) as part of its regulatory responsibilities.

The Dangote refinery further said it continues to maintain an ex-gantry price of N699 per litre for petrol, “available to all marketers and bulk consumers without discrimination”.

“Dangote Petroleum Refinery therefore calls on filling station operators, large scale users, and institutional consumers to patronise locally refined, high quality petroleum products, rather than relying on imported alternatives that are often more expensive and of uncertain quality,” the plant said.

“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 refinery said recent price movements further highlight that in the absence of the Dangote 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 statement noted that the refinery’s operations have served as a key stabilising force in the downstream petroleum market.