Dangote Petroleum Refinery Plc has ramped up operations to load out about 1,000 trucks daily, achieving an average 50 million litres of refined fuel per day, according to its newly appointed Managing Director, David Bird.
Bird disclosed this on Wednesday at a media briefing in Lagos, citing the refinery’s strong performance during the Christmas and New Year period, when it supplied fuel seamlessly across the country without disruptions.
The milestone, he said, reflects not only increased production but a matching evacuation and distribution capacity an area that has historically constrained Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
Production and Offtake Reach Critical Scale
Bird explained that the refinery’s daily output is now closely aligned with offtake, a sign that logistics and demand are stabilising.
“We have been able to achieve over 1,000 trucks of daily offtake. It’s not just about production; the offtake itself has reached about 50 million litres per day,” he said, noting that volumes can fluctuate based on demand and inland stock levels.
He added that the facility has, at peak periods, supplied more than 52 million litres of finished products daily, with the flexibility to export excess volumes when domestic demand dips, especially over weekends.
Euro 5 Fuel Boosts Quality and Public Health
Beyond volume, Bird stressed that Nigeria is now consuming world-class fuel, as Dangote Refinery produces to Euro 5 standards, the same quality supplied to Europe and aviation markets such as Dubai.
He criticised the long-standing dumping of substandard fuel in West Africa, describing the refinery’s output as a major public health intervention due to its lower sulphur content and cleaner combustion profile.
According to him, stable supply and competitive pricing currently around ₦739 per litre are contributing to broader economic stability, including support for the naira.
Expansion, Petrochemicals and Naira Stability
Looking ahead, Bird said Dangote Refinery is investing aggressively in expansion, including scaling up polypropylene production from 800,000 tonnes to 2.4 million tonnes, a move expected to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce imports.
He revealed that 30–40 per cent of the refinery’s crude supply currently comes from the crude-for-naira programme, which he described as critical to insulating Nigeria from global oil price volatility.
“Local refining reduces exposure to international shocks. This is a continental project, not just a refinery,” Bird said, adding that the facility is now in a stabilisation phase ahead of further capacity growth.
With production and evacuation now aligned at scale, analysts say the refinery’s performance could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s fuel supply chain provided logistics, pricing transparency and infrastructure improvements are sustained.
