KEY POINTS
- Dangote Refinery says it does not import finished petroleum products, dismissing reports to the contrary as false.
- The company explains that processing intermediate feedstocks is a standard global refining practice.
- DPRP says it supplies only fully refined, Euro-standard fuels and has helped improve supply and reduce FX pressure.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals (DPRP) has strongly refuted reports suggesting that it imports finished petroleum products, describing the claims as false, misleading, and rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern refineries operate.
The company said the allegations misrepresent the nature of its operations as a large-scale merchant refinery that refines crude oil and processes intermediate feedstocks into premium fuels and petrochemical products that meet the highest international standards.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the refinery complex, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, David Bird, said Dangote Refinery does not import finished petrol, diesel or other market-ready fuels, stressing that all products released into the Nigerian market are fully refined at the facility.
According to him, while the refinery may process intermediate or semi-processed materials, this is a globally accepted refining practice and should not be confused with importing finished petroleum products.
Bird explained that modern refineries often rely on a combination of crude oil and intermediate feedstocks, which are further processed through complex refining and blending systems to achieve final product specifications.
He said Dangote Refinery operates using a European and Asian merchant refinery model, a system that integrates advanced refining, blending and trading operations to meet strict quality, environmental and safety benchmarks.
“Processing intermediate materials is standard practice across the global refining industry. These materials are not fuels that can be used in vehicles. They must undergo further refining and blending before becoming finished products,” Bird said.
He added that equating the processing of intermediate feedstocks with importing finished fuel reflects a misunderstanding of refining terminology and operations.
Only Fully Refined, Euro-Standard Fuels Supplied to Market
The Dangote Refinery CEO said the facility produces only high-quality, market-ready fuels that comply with international environmental and health standards.
“Our gasoline is lead-free and MMT-free, with sulphur content of 50 parts per million, while our diesel meets ultra-low sulphur specifications. These standards help reduce emissions, protect engines and safeguard public health,” he said.
Bird emphasised that semi-finished fuels are unsuitable for direct use and are never supplied to the Nigerian market.
To reinforce this point, samples of both intermediate feedstocks and fully refined products were displayed to journalists during the briefing, showing clear differences in appearance and quality.
Bird said Dangote Refinery was established to address Nigeria’s long-standing exposure to poor-quality petroleum products and to position the country as a hub for clean, high-grade fuels.
He noted that DPRP’s products are already being exported to international markets, a development he said demonstrates their competitiveness and adherence to global standards.
Intermediate materials such as naphtha, straight-run gas oil, vacuum gas oil (VGO), reformate, alkylate and isomerate, he explained, are essential building blocks used in further refining to produce finished fuels like petrol and diesel, as well as petrochemicals.
