The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed reports that it may shut its petrol unit for up to three months, insisting operations remain ongoing.
A Reuters report had suggested that the 650,000 barrel-per-day facility could halt operations following catalyst leaks, quoting industry monitor IIR Energy. The report added that major repairs and equipment replacement might keep the unit offline for months.
However, the Group’s spokesman, Anthony Chiejina, debunked the claims, describing them as fake news. “Fake news. Why ‘could’ if they are sure?” Chiejina told our correspondent on Sunday when asked to react to the report.
Industry data show the refinery has been running at elevated levels. According to Kpler, crude deliveries surged to a record 570,000 barrels per day in July, with about 60 per cent sourced from the United States and 40 per cent from Nigerian grades.
The refinery, which began processing crude in January 2024, has already reshaped global fuel flows. Europe-to-West Africa petrol exports have dropped sharply, while the plant recently shipped two cargoes of gasoline to the US East Coast, marking a milestone in meeting American fuel standards.
Dangote has also diversified its crude slate, bringing in Ghana’s Sankofa grade for the first time in August, alongside imports from Brazil and Angola. Kpler estimates current operations at around 445,000 barrels per day, or 68 per cent of total capacity, with throughput expected to remain stable in the coming months.
The refinery aims to ramp up production to 700,000 barrels per day by December 2025, even as officials continue to call for higher domestic crude output to meet both local and international demand.
