65m Litres of Petrol Daily: Dangote Refinery Marks Milestone in Nigeria’s Fuel Self-Sufficiency
In a significant development for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has announced plans to supply between 60 and 65 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily, positioning the nation towards sustained fuel self-sufficiency while enabling the export of an additional surplus of up to 20 million litres.
This progress follows a substantial ramp-up in production, allowing the refinery to generate more fuel than the national consumption, with excess supplies earmarked for export to countries already seeking partnerships with the refinery.
Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, revealed this breakthrough in Lagos, stating that a structured offtake agreement has been established with selected marketers to ensure efficient nationwide distribution and mitigate supply instability.
“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 average daily petrol consumption is estimated at between 50 and 60 million litres; thus, the refinery’s production exceeds domestic needs, marking a pivotal shift away from decades of dependence on fuel imports and chronic shortages.
The newly implemented structured model aims to eliminate historical supply bottlenecks and curb speculative practices that have often led to market disruptions.
With local refining now surpassing national demand, Nigeria is set to save billions of dollars annually in foreign exchange previously allocated for petrol imports. Analysts suggest this could ease pressure on the naira, strengthen external reserves, and enhance the stability of the trade balance.
Engr. Bayo Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, recently described the refinery as a transformative national asset capable of redefining Nigeria’s energy security framework and spurring industrial growth.
He emphasized the refinery’s status as a source of national pride and an example of how Nigeria can overcome historical industrial constraints through the use of advanced global technology.
Commending its operational success, Ojulari noted that the plant has exceeded all initial 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 enthused.
