Dangote refinery accuses former NMDPRA leadership of allowing petrol imports exceed domestic demand

Sunday, January 11, 2026 - The Dangote refinery has accused the former leadership of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRA) of issuing import licences that led to petrol imports exceeding domestic demand in November 2025.

Reports had linked the surge in imports to a pricing dispute between petroleum marketers and the refinery, allegedly resulting in a breakdown of supply arrangements. But in a statement issued Friday by refinery spokesperson Anthony Chiejina, Dangote denied any collapse of agreements with marketers.

Addressing the import spike, the refinery said it coincided with regulatory decisions taken by the previous NMDPRA leadership, which it claimed “sanctioned volumes beyond prevailing domestic demand.” The plant insisted the development had nothing to do with its production capacity or its offtake commitments.

According to the refinery, petrol supply to the market began in October 2025 with an agreed 600 million litres offtake, rising to 900 million litres in November and 1.5 billion litres in December. The refinery said the expansions corresponded with market growth and absorption capacity.

Since December 16, 2025, Dangote stated that it had dispatched between 31 million and 48 million litres of petrol daily from its gantry depending on demand, noting that the figures could be verified through depot and regulatory loading records.

To improve distribution and widen participation, the refinery said it reduced its minimum purchase threshold from two million litres to 250,000 litres and introduced a 10-day credit window backed by bank guarantees. It also dismissed claims that marketers withdrew due to pricing, insisting that its ex-gantry rates remain competitive, market-aligned and compliant with import parity benchmarks.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) also rejected speculation that supply arrangements with the refinery had broken down, and criticised continued importation of refined petrol. IPMAN president Abubakar Garima said members remained supportive of the refinery. “Since supply began, marketers have consistently lifted products without any complaints,” he said. “We oppose continued importation because Dangote Refinery has the capacity to meet the country’s entire PMS demand.” He added that marketers were satisfied with the reliability of deliveries, including direct supply to filling stations.