Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery has begun round-the-clock petrol loading operations, marking a significant step in sustaining a daily supply of over 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) across the country, the refinery said on Thursday.
The move comes as Africa’s largest refinery ramps up production and strengthens logistical systems to ensure uninterrupted product offtake while countering speculation about maintenance-related supply disruptions. Originally designed for daytime loading, the facility has expanded operations to night hours to match rising output with continuous distribution.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Managing Director David Bird said the shift to 24-hour operations was necessary to meet domestic demand and improve turnaround times for truck evacuations.
“The refinery is now meeting the 50 million litres daily petrol requirement in both production and evacuation,” Bird said, noting that in the second half of 2025, the refinery consistently delivered 50 million litres per day, with peaks exceeding 52 million litres on some occasions.
Bird said the refinery has successfully integrated night-time loading into operations, handling over a thousand trucks per day through the facility’s gantry. “Really learning and continuously improving our logistics and our turnaround time of getting those trucks through,” he added.
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Production and offtake flexibility
Bird emphasised that maintaining high output depends not only on production but also on efficient distribution. While demand fluctuates, particularly on weekends, the refinery can adjust its operations and export surplus products if domestic consumption is lower.
“Having a lower price and an abundance of supplies will stimulate demand, which is a good thing. That will continue to stimulate economic activity by having stable, affordable, clean fuels available,” Bird said.
He highlighted the refinery’s operational flexibility, noting that individual units can undergo planned maintenance without interrupting overall output. This resilience ensures the refinery consistently meets finished product demand, a critical feature for both domestic supply and export readiness.
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Dangote Refinery operates as a merchant facility with multiple production routes, including crude processing, intermediate feedstocks, and blending components. Bird said this flexibility allows the refinery to supply the Nigerian market reliably while producing world-standard fuels suitable for export.
“We have the requirement to be able to always export our finished product. By definition, that means we have to make world-quality fuels and ensure that we can land our product competitively anywhere in the world,” Bird said, adding that all petrol and diesel are Euro-5 compliant.
Transforming Nigeria’s fuel market
The refinery has contributed to a shift from fuel scarcity to abundance in Nigeria, Bird said, improving both volume and quality. The facility supplies cleaner fuels, ending the region’s long-standing reliance on substandard petroleum products.
Domestic refining also provides insulation against global market volatility, Bird noted. “If you are fully import-dependent, you are exposed to global market fluctuations. Having domestic production drives a level of insulation from global volatility in both crude and product prices,” he said.
While the refinery maintains export capabilities, Bird stressed that the domestic market remains a priority. Ensuring a steady supply of petrol supports price stability and broader economic activity across Nigeria, he said.
With its new 24-hour loading operations, Dangote Refinery signals its readiness to meet rising domestic demand, maintain export potential, and provide a consistent supply of high-quality, Euro-5 compliant fuels, strengthening both Nigeria’s energy security and regional influence in refined petroleum products.
