By Ayomide Otitoju
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has announced plans to supply between 60 and 65 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily, a volume expected to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand and generate a surplus of up to 20 million litres for export.
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, disclosed the development in Lagos, stating that structured offtake agreements have been concluded with selected marketers to guarantee nationwide distribution and prevent supply disruptions.
“We have agreed on an offtake 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 said.
Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption is estimated at between 50 and 60 million litres, indicating that the refinery’s projected output will exceed national requirements. Analysts say this marks a significant shift from decades of reliance on imported refined products and recurring supply shortages.
Under a revised distribution framework approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the refinery will supply fuel through major marketing firms, including MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, NNPC Limited Retail, 11 Plc, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Ardova Plc, and other downstream operators. The structured model is designed to eliminate bottlenecks and curb speculative practices historically linked to fuel scarcity.
Industry observers describe the move as a structural reform of Nigeria’s fuel supply chain. By refining locally at volumes exceeding domestic demand, the country could save billions of dollars annually in foreign exchange previously spent on petrol imports, potentially strengthening external reserves and improving trade balance stability.
During a recent facility tour, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the refinery as a transformative national asset capable of redefining energy security and accelerating industrial growth.
“This plant was designed for 650,000 barrels per day. None of us thought it would even reach 550,000. What we saw live today was 661,000. These are live parameters, not reports or photographs,” Ojulari said.
With production capacity now surpassing domestic petrol demand, the Dangote refinery is poised to reshape Nigeria’s energy landscape and significantly reduce dependence on imported fuel.
