Nigeria’s energy landscape is shifting as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery prepares to supply 60 to 65 million litres of petrol (PMS) daily—enough to meet the entire national demand.
This milestone not only secures Nigeria’s long-term fuel independence but also positions the country as an exporter, with a projected daily surplus of 20 million litres for the global market.
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, made the announcement in Lagos, disclosing that a formal offtake pact has been finalised with chosen distributors to guarantee seamless nationwide delivery and put an end to erratic supply situations.
“We have agreed an offtake framework to supply up to 65 million litres daily for the domestic market,” Dangote said. “Any surplus, estimated at between 15 and 20 million litres, will be exported.”
Nigeria’s normal daily consumption of petrol averages between 50 and 60 million litres, meaning the refinery’s production comfortably surpasses local needs and signals a complete departure from the long era of heavy reliance on imported fuels along with frequent shortages.
Following an updated distribution arrangement approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the refinery will route supplies across the country through leading marketing firms that include MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Retail (NNPC), 11 plc (Mobil Producing Nigeria).
Others include TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Rainoil Limited, Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited, Ardova Plc, Bovas & Company Limited, AA Rano Nigeria Limited, AYM Shafa Limited, Conoil and Masters Energy.
This carefully organised approach is intended to remove distribution obstacles and discourage speculative activities that have repeatedly caused market disruptions in the past.
Analysts regard the move as a major transformation in Nigeria’s fuel supply structure. For many decades, Africa’s biggest crude oil producer depended largely on imported refined products, leaving the economy exposed to exchange rate swings, transport challenges and regular stockouts.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bayo Bashir Ojulari, who visited the facility recently, called the refinery a game-changing national asset that will reshape Nigeria’s energy security framework and fast-track industrial expansion.
He described the refinery as a source of national pride and an example of Nigeria’s ability to leapfrog legacy industrial constraints through the adoption of best-in-class global technology.
Commending its operational performance, Ojulari said the plant had exceeded expectations.
“This plant was designed for 650,000 barrels per day. None of us thought it would even touch 550,000. What we saw live today was 661,000. These are live parameters, not reports or photographs,” he stated.
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