Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery has challenged the country’s petroleum regulator to independently verify its fuel production figures after official data questioned the plant’s output capacity.
In a statement released on Monday, the refinery said it is prepared to open its operations to regulators to prove that it can consistently produce up to 1.5 billion litres of petrol per month. The move follows weekend figures published by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which suggested Dangote’s actual output stands at roughly one-third of that level.
According to the regulator, Nigeria’s fuel consumption averages about 55 million litres per day, translating to approximately 1.6 billion litres monthly. This assessment has raised doubts over whether domestic refining alone can meet national demand.
Dangote, however, rejected the regulator’s conclusions and formally invited officials to observe daily production volumes on-site. The company said the invitation was aimed at ensuring openness and eliminating uncertainty around its operational capacity.
The refinery reiterated that its current infrastructure is capable of supplying 1.5 billion litres of petrol each month, with plans to scale production further to around 1.7 billion litres starting February 2026.
Disagreements over domestic refining capacity have taken on added significance after Nigeria’s federal government recently postponed a planned ban on imported refined fuel. Authorities cited concerns that local refineries might not yet be able to fully cover national supply needs — a position Dangote is now openly contesting.
