President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has disclosed that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery currently has over 500 million litres of petrol in its reservoir and is producing enough fuel for both local consumption and export.
During a tour of the $20 billion refinery in Lekki, Lagos, with Zambia’s Minister for Energy, Makozo Chikote, Dangote emphasized that the refinery will reach its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day next month.
“We have more than N600 billion worth of stocks here today. The refinery is producing enough refined products—gasoline, diesel, and kerosene—to meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirements,” Dangote said.
He added that only 40% of the refinery’s production is needed for Nigeria, while 60% will be exported to other countries, particularly within Africa.
Global Impact & Fuel Quality
Dangote highlighted that his refinery is forcing some global refineries to shut down due to its superior fuel quality.
“No refinery in Africa or even Europe can produce our type of quality. We can produce up to zero parts per million of sulphur and achieve an octane number of 95. Many refineries are shutting down because they can’t compete with us,” he stated.
He noted that the refinery is positioned to meet changing fuel regulations globally, producing Euro-5 standard fuel and winter diesel.
Strategic Storage & Production Capacity
The Vice President of Dangote Group, Davakumar Edwin, provided key production data, stating that the refinery can produce 104 million litres of petroleum products daily.
- Petrol (PMS): 57 million litres per day
- Jet fuel: 20 million litres per day
- Diesel: 37 million litres per day
Nigeria’s daily fuel consumption is only 46 million litres, meaning that the remaining 58 million litres will be exported daily.
Additionally, the refinery has a massive storage facility with 177 tanks capable of holding 4.742 billion litres of fuel, ensuring a steady supply for months.
Zambia Seeks Dangote’s Support for Energy Security
During the visit, Zambian Energy Minister Makozo Chikote expressed interest in collaborating with Dangote Refinery to secure fuel supply for Zambia.
“We depend on imports from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which also serves other neighboring countries, causing delays and high congestion. We want Dangote to come on board for reliable and competitive fuel pricing,” Chikote said.
He added that Zambia’s power supply has been affected by drought, making fuel security critical for economic growth. The country is encouraging private sector participation in the energy market and sees Dangote’s refinery as a key solution to its fuel supply challenges.
With the Dangote Refinery ramping up production and dominating the African market, it is set to significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel while boosting regional energy security through exports.