Nigeria is poised to achieve sustained fuel self-sufficiency as Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals ramps up production to meet and exceed domestic petrol demand.
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, disclosed in Lagos that the refinery will supply between 60 and 65 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily to the Nigerian market under a structured off-take agreement with selected marketers nationwide.
According to him, any surplus estimated at 15 to 20 million litres per day will be exported.
“We have agreed an off-take framework to supply up to 65 million litres daily for the domestic market. Any surplus, estimated at between 15 and 20 million litres, will be exported,” Dangote stated.
Nigeria’s average daily petrol consumption ranges between 50 and 60 million litres, meaning the refinery’s projected output will exceed current national requirements.
The development marks a decisive shift from decades of heavy reliance on imported refined petroleum products and the recurring fuel scarcity that trailed it.
Under a revised supply model endorsed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), nationwide distribution will be handled through major marketing firms, including:
MRS Oil Nigeria Plc
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Retail
11 Plc
TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc
Rainoil Limited
Ardova Plc
Conoil Plc
The structured arrangement is designed to eliminate supply bottlenecks, improve distribution efficiency and curb speculative practices that have historically disrupted fuel availability.
Industry analysts describe the move as a fundamental reform of Nigeria’s fuel supply chain. As Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Nigeria had for years depended on imported refined products — a practice that strained foreign exchange reserves, exposed the economy to global logistics shocks and weakened the naira.
With domestic refining now projected to exceed consumption, the country could conserve billions of dollars annually in foreign exchange previously spent on petrol imports.
Analysts say the shift may help stabilise the naira, strengthen external reserves and improve Nigeria’s trade balance.
During a recent visit to the facility, Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari, described the refinery as a transformative national asset capable of redefining Nigeria’s energy security framework.
He commended the refinery’s operational performance, revealing that it had surpassed its design 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,” Ojulari said.
Designed with a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery’s performance signals what stakeholders see as a turning point in Nigeria’s industrial and energy landscape — potentially ending decades of fuel import dependence while positioning the country as a net exporter of refined petroleum products.
