Operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have been halted after the facility suspended petrol loading until further notice, raising fresh concerns about a possible fuel price increase.
Sources at the facility confirmed that tanker drivers already waiting to lift fuel were asked to vacate the premises as all loading activities were temporarily stopped. The sudden suspension of Dangote refinery petrol loading has sparked speculation across Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
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Industry stakeholders believe the halt in Dangote refinery petrol loading may signal an imminent adjustment to the refinery’s ex-depot petrol price, with some analysts suggesting an announcement could come as early as Monday.
Observers noted that similar actions have occurred in the past, where the refinery paused operations before unveiling new price changes. A comparable development happened on Friday, March 6, around 2:00 a.m. WAT, when loading was stopped shortly before the refinery announced a ₦121 increase in its ex-depot PMS price to ₦995 per litre.
The development followed an earlier adjustment on March 2, when the refinery raised its petrol gantry price from ₦774 to ₦874 per litre amid mounting pressure in the domestic fuel market.
Market participants say repeated suspensions of Dangote refinery petrol loading have become a key signal for possible price changes, prompting marketers, depot owners, and distributors to closely monitor activities at the facility as they adjust their own pricing strategies.