By Milcah Tanimu
The Dangote Oil Refinery, Nigeria’s largest refinery with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), has officially started processing petrol. This milestone marks a significant step in addressing the country’s fuel supply issues.
The refinery faced initial delays due to challenges in procuring crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and local producers. Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of the Dangote Refinery, confirmed that the refinery is now testing petrol production. If successful, petrol will begin flowing into local markets later this month, and any surplus may be exported, similar to the refinery’s current export practices for jet fuel and diesel.
This development is expected to alleviate the pressure on NNPC, which has struggled with a $6 billion debt to oil suppliers and persistent fuel shortages since July. The Dangote Refinery’s entry into petrol production aims to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel and support local supply stability.
