The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has enough Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, in storage to meet Nigeria’s fuel needs, according to Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited. Speaking over the weekend, Dangote revealed that the refinery currently holds over half a billion litres of petroleum and products worth more than ₦600 billion in its tanks.
“As we speak right now, we have more than half a billion litres. The refinery is producing enough refined products, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene, to meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirements,” he stated.
Dangote made these remarks during a tour of the refinery by a Zambian Government delegation, led by the country’s Minister of Energy, Makozo Chikote. He emphasized that the project is not solely for Nigeria but for the benefit of Africa as a whole. “This refinery is not only for Nigeria; it is for Africa. We must sustain the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) deal. We are exploring trade opportunities with other African countries,” he added.
After touring the Dangote complex at the Free Trade Zone in Ibeju Lekki, which includes the Single Point Mooring, Dangote Jetty, Africa’s largest fertilizer plant, and the 650,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery—the world’s largest single-train refinery—Zambia’s Minister of Energy, Makozo Chikote, praised Dangote’s commitment to Africa’s development. He noted that the visit reaffirmed Dangote’s focus on the bigger picture for Africa.
“In Zambia, we have created an environment for the private sector to participate in the growth and development of our country. Currently, 100 per cent of our petroleum supply is handled by the private sector,” Chikote stated. He further expressed Zambia’s interest in collaborating with Dangote Refinery to enhance competition, efficiency, and reliability in its energy sector. “We are looking at Dangote coming on board, which would lead to efficient, reliable, quality, and competitive products. We want these done like yesterday,” he emphasized.
Chikote also highlighted the importance of intra-African trade, stating, “From what we have seen, we need to promote trade within Africa and support each other. We must work together to make Africa a competitive and self-reliant trade hub.”
Samuel Maimbo, Vice President of Budget, Performance Review, and Strategic Planning at the World Bank Group, and a current candidate for the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB), stressed the critical role of the private sector in Africa’s growth. “There is not enough development aid or government funding to develop Africa. The only way we can finance Africa’s growth at the necessary pace and scale is by leveraging the private sector, which is why we are here today—to learn and see what an ambitious programme looks like,” he said.
Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited, Edwin Devakumar, highlighted the refinery’s capability to process various crude oil types from Nigeria, Africa, and the Middle East, ensuring maximum value extraction. “The refinery can meet all our requirements. About 44 per cent of its production can meet Nigeria’s needs, while the remaining 56 per cent will be exported,” he stated.
He provided a breakdown of the refinery’s daily output, which includes 104 million litres of lighter products, 57 million litres of petrol, 20 million litres of jet fuel, and 27 million litres of diesel. “Nigeria’s local consumption is just around 46 million litres, meaning the remaining 58 million litres will be exported daily,” he added.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to position itself as a key player in Africa’s energy sector, offering innovative solutions to boost self-sufficiency, trade, and economic growth across the continent.
