Dangote Refinery Supplies 50 Million Litres of Petrol Daily in First Half of 2026

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery supplied an average of 50 million litres of petrol daily to Nigeria's domestic market in the first half of 2026, as its production capacity increased and exports of refined petroleum products expanded.

This was disclosed in the Dangote Group's H1 2026 Macroeconomic Report, titled Between Windfall and Inflation, prepared by its Economic Research and Intelligence Unit.

According to the report, the refinery achieved a record daily petrol supply of 56 million litres in April 2026, against a planned evacuation volume of approximately 1.1 million tonnes per month.

Refinery Capacity Utilisation Reaches 101%

The report revealed that the refinery's capacity utilisation increased significantly from approximately 45 per cent in early 2025 to between 98 and 101 per cent from April to June 2026.

In June, the facility's processing capacity was also revised upward from 650,000 barrels per day to 700,000 barrels per day, reflecting the expansion of its operations.

Beyond petrol, the refinery supplied approximately 25 million litres of diesel daily and up to 29 million litres of aviation fuel, while exporting surplus refined petroleum products to markets across West Africa and other regions.

Nigeria's refined petroleum product exports also increased by 51 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to the report.

Nigeria's Petrol Imports Decline by 26%

The expansion of domestic refining capacity has reduced Nigeria's dependence on imported petrol, although the country continues to receive supplies from international markets.

Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that average daily petrol imports fell by 26 per cent to 14.6 million litres in August 2026, down from 19.7 million litres in July.

During the same month, the Dangote Refinery recorded an average capacity utilisation rate of 105.21 per cent, producing 41.94 million litres of petrol, 18.01 million litres of diesel and 24.48 million litres of aviation fuel daily.

Domestic petrol receipts averaged 35.87 million litres per day, while exports stood at 9.73 million litres. The refinery's closing petrol stock reached 360.4 million litres.

For diesel, domestic receipts averaged 12.37 million litres daily, compared with exports of 8.75 million litres. Aviation fuel exports averaged 21.30 million litres daily, while domestic receipts stood at 3.07 million litres.

The increase in domestic refining has also coincided with a sharp decline in Nigeria's petrol import expenditure.

Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the country's petrol import bill dropped by 96.15 per cent to ₦87.40 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with ₦2.27 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

Dangote Expands Jet Fuel Exports to Europe

Beyond meeting domestic demand, the Dangote Refinery has strengthened its presence in international markets, particularly Europe, through increased exports of aviation fuel.

The Dangote Group's report stated that the refinery became Europe's largest single supplier of jet fuel in June and July 2026, exporting more than 400,000 tonnes to the continent in July alone.

In September, Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Petroleum and Petrochemical Limited, disclosed that the refinery had sold out its jet fuel supplies to European markets for August and September, with the remaining stock reserved for Nigeria.

Earlier reports also indicated that Nigeria's seaborne refined petroleum exports to Europe surged by approximately 767 per cent to 130,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 15,000 barrels per day in 2023.

Meanwhile, Dangote is planning to establish another large-scale refinery in Kenya. The proposed $17 billion facility is expected to be located in Lamu.

The refinery's expanding domestic production and international exports highlight Nigeria's growing refining capacity and its potential to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products while strengthening its position in regional and global energy markets.

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