By Ayomide Otitoju
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has increased the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, to local retail outlets, as the company continues to ramp up production and expand its refining operations.
Checks by correspondents on Saturday revealed a significant increase in fuel deliveries to partner stations, particularly MRS outlets, across Lagos. The heightened distribution activity resulted in long queues of fuel tankers and traffic congestion along sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The increased supply comes as MRS stations adjusted their pump price to N1,282 per litre, lower than prices at several other filling stations where petrol currently sells between N1,295 and N1,380 per litre.
The development follows a recent reduction in the refinery’s ex-depot price of petrol from N1,275 to N1,250 per litre. The refinery also cut the ex-depot price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) from N1,800 to N1,700 per litre.
In a statement released on Friday, Dangote Refinery announced that it had successfully increased its crude processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) following a performance test conducted by its process licensors.
The company described the achievement as a major milestone in its operational expansion, noting that the refinery can now process higher volumes of crude oil while maintaining optimal performance across its production units.
Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, said the refinery is pursuing a long-term strategy to expand capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day within the next 30 months.
According to Edwin, the expansion is expected to enhance Nigeria’s energy security, eliminate reliance on imported refined petroleum products, and strengthen the country’s position as a regional export hub.
Owned by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, the refinery commenced fuel production in 2024 and has steadily increased output of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and other petroleum products.
The facility has emerged as a major supplier to domestic and international markets, exporting refined products to several African countries as well as European destinations, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
The refinery noted that its growing production capacity has enhanced its role in stabilising fuel supply in Nigeria, particularly amid ongoing disruptions in global energy markets linked to tensions in the Middle East.
The company also highlighted its rising global profile, citing reports that it became the world’s largest exporter of jet fuel in April.
According to Dangote Refinery, increasing production volumes have attracted greater interest from international crude suppliers and commodity traders, enabling the facility to source feedstock from both local and foreign producers to sustain operations.
Looking ahead, Dangote has reiterated plans to transform the refinery into the world’s largest refining complex by 2028 through an expansion that would raise processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
The company said the expansion is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including job creation, increased industrial activity, improved trade balances, and stronger support for downstream manufacturing through the supply of key industrial feedstocks such as LPG, polypropylene and Linear Alkylbenzene (LAB), a major raw material used in detergent production.
