Dangote Refinery has denied importing refined petroleum products into Nigeria, stating that all petrol and other fuels it sells are processed locally.
The refinery’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, clarified this on Wednesday during a press briefing in Lagos, responding to claims questioning the company’s refining operations and alleged fuel imports.
Bird explained that products sometimes assumed to be imported fuel are actually intermediate feedstocks brought in to enhance refinery efficiency.
He noted that materials such as high catalytic sulphur gasoline and straight-run naphtha are unfinished inputs that undergo full processing at the Lekki refinery before being released as finished products.
“We do not import refined fuel. All petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel we sell are refined here in Lekki to meet both Nigerian and Euro-V international standards,” Bird stated.
He added that using intermediate feedstocks is common practice among major refineries in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and India.
According to him, Dangote Refinery functions as a merchant refinery, sourcing crude oil and feedstock mainly through sea routes rather than pipeline systems, unlike some refineries located at pipeline terminals.
This approach, he said, allows the facility to fully utilise its advanced processing units and convert crude inputs into high-quality fuels and petrochemical products.
Bird further accused some fuel marketers and regulatory stakeholders of weakening local refining efforts by importing cheaper, lower-quality fuel instead of buying locally refined products.
He warned that such actions could undermine Nigeria’s energy security and put pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
Bird revealed that the refinery currently supplies about 45 million litres of petrol daily to the Nigerian market and suspended petrol exports during the Christmas and New Year season to meet local demand.
Exports, he noted, only occur when production exceeds domestic consumption, especially during the refinery’s early operational phase.
He also highlighted health benefits linked to local refining, saying sulphur and metal content in fuels used in Nigeria have dropped significantly, aligning with fuel standards in Europe and North America.
Describing the facility as one of the most advanced globally, Bird said the refinery produces high-value products including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and polypropylene.
Reaffirming the company’s long-term plans, he said domestic supply remains its priority while aiming to position Nigeria as a major producer of clean fuels for Africa.
“West Africa should no longer serve as a dumping ground for inferior fuel products. Nigeria now produces fuel that meets the highest standards,” he added.
