Dangote Refinery debunks shutdown rumour

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed recent reports alleging a shutdown of its operations.

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The company’s Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, in a statement on Friday night, made this known in reaction to a report alleging that the company resumed petrol sale after a one-week suspension.

In his statement, Mr Chiejina denied claims that truck loading has been suspended or that production had been interrupted.

The refinery reassured the public and market stakeholders that its activities remain “fully active and stable.”

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“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is fully operational. There has been no shutdown, nor has there been any suspension of truck loading activities,” the statement said.

Mr Chiejina explained that the intermittent sale of Residual Catalytic Oil (RCO) is part of normal business operations, often involving large parcel sales, which explains the recent fuel oil tender.

He added that the Dangote Refinery consistently supplies over 40 million litres of petrol daily, alongside steady volumes of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

These supplies, he said, continue unabated, despite speculation suggesting otherwise.

“As the world’s largest single-train petroleum refinery, the facility employs advanced predictive and preventive maintenance protocols to ensure uninterrupted operations. Routine maintenance activities are standard and do not impact the overall fuel supply,” it said.

In response to speculation about potential supply shortages and price increases, Mr Chiejina challenged those sponsoring the rumour to place orders for daily deliveries of up to 40 million litres of petrol and 15 million litres of diesel for the next 90 days.

“To those who believe this misinformation and anticipate a bullish market, we extend a challenge: We invite interested buyers to place immediate orders for up to 40 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit daily and 15 million litres of AGO daily, for the next 90 days.

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The refinery reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and Nigeria’s energy security, urging the public to disregard unfounded rumours sponsored by unscrupulous and unpatriotic individuals seeking to undermine the country’s energy independence.

“For their own selfish interests, including the importation of substandard fuels under the false pretext of domestic supply shortages,” the statement said.

The 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery commenced diesel and aviation fuel production in January 2024.

In September 2024, the refinery announced it had begun the processing of petrol, with the aim of ending Nigeria’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products and boosting the nation’s energy security.