Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed reports suggesting it is shutting down operations for maintenance, describing the claims as false, misleading, and designed to cause panic in the downstream petroleum market.
In a statement on Monday, the refinery said production remains steady and uninterrupted, noting that it continues to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily, depending on market demand. It stressed that Dangote Refinery shutdown claims circulating on social media and some platforms have no basis in fact.
The company disclosed that on January 4, it produced 50 million litres of PMS and evacuated more than 48 million litres through its gantry, adding that current stock levels are sufficient to cover over 20 days of national consumption. According to the refinery, these figures clearly contradict the Dangote Refinery shutdown claims being promoted in some quarters.
Clarifying the issue of maintenance, the refinery explained that routine work on specific units such as the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) does not halt overall production. It noted that other critical units, including the Naphtha Hydrotreater, CCR Reformer, and Hydrocracker, remain fully operational and continue to produce PMS, diesel, and Jet A-1.
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The refinery also reaffirmed its ex-gantry price of N699 per litre for PMS, which it said is available to all marketers and bulk buyers. It urged filling stations and large-scale consumers to prioritise locally refined products, stressing that domestic refining supports price stability, conserves foreign exchange, and strengthens energy security.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery accused fuel importers of spreading misinformation to justify recent increases in pump prices, warning that such actions undermine national interest and impose unnecessary hardship on Nigerians. It noted that without local refining capacity, petrol prices could rise to as much as N1,400 per litre in a post-subsidy environment.
Reiterating its commitment to steady supply and market stability, the refinery urged the public to disregard unfounded reports and rely on verified information, stressing that the Dangote Refinery shutdown claims are inconsistent with the reality of its ongoing operations and output levels.