By Atoyebi Nike
May 12, 2025
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has firmly rejected recent claims by oil marketers that it lacks the capacity to meet Nigeria’s local fuel demand, insisting it is supplying sufficient volumes to the domestic market and exporting the surplus.
This reaction follows public remarks by the Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Olufemi Adewole, who alleged that despite its 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity, the refinery was still unable to meet even Nigeria’s reduced fuel consumption.
Adewole said private depot owners were bearing the brunt of keeping fuel distribution alive across the country and accused the Dangote Group of engaging in post-gantry price slashes that forced marketers to absorb financial losses to stay afloat.
However, a senior Dangote refinery official, who spoke in confidence, dismissed the claims as inaccurate and misleading. “We produce more than enough fuel for the local market and still export daily. I don’t know where these marketers are getting their information,” the official said.
He further questioned the accuracy of Nigeria’s fuel consumption statistics, claiming past subsidy regimes were built on inflated figures. “The real numbers will eventually come out. A lot of people have benefited from the manipulation of these figures over the years,” he added.
Another refinery source backed President Bola Tinubu’s policy to prioritise local production over fuel imports. “If we truly want to grow our economy, we must stop importing what we already have the capacity to produce. But of course, those profiting from imports are doing all they can to frustrate that vision.”
In response to accusations of monopolistic practices, Dangote insiders argue that some marketers are more concerned about protecting profits than ensuring energy security for Nigerians. “Many of them were neck-deep in round-tripping during the subsidy era. Now that the system is changing, they’re fighting back.”
A consultant to the refinery also challenged DAPPMAN, IPMAN, and PETROAN to present data backing their claims. “Let them show Nigerians how they calculated Dangote’s capacity. What stock figures are they working with? These conclusions are not based on facts.”
As debate intensifies, industry experts suggest that resolving these tensions will be critical to stabilizing Nigeria’s downstream sector and achieving long-term fuel security.
