Dangote Refinery Denies Report of Planned Petrol Unit Shutdown

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed reports that its petrol unit could be shut for two to three months, describing the claim as “fake news.”

The clarification followed a Reuters report quoting industry monitor IIR Energy, which alleged that the refinery’s Residue Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU), with a capacity of 204,000 barrels per day, had been shut since August 29 due to catalyst leaks. The report suggested the unit might remain down for months while major repairs and equipment replacement were carried out, though it added that a restart could be attempted by September 20.

Reacting, Dangote Group’s spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, refuted the claim and questioned the credibility of the report.

"Fake news. Why ‘could’ if they are sure?” he told our correspondent on Sunday.

Reuters had earlier reported that the RFCCU was expected to be offline for at least two weeks, raising concerns about potential disruptions.

The 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery, which began processing crude in January 2024, has already reshaped fuel trade flows, slashing Europe-to-West Africa petrol exports and recently shipping two cargoes to the United States East Coast a major milestone for the plant.

The refinery is targeting a ramp-up to 700,000 bpd by December 2025. In August, it imported 900,000 barrels of Sankofa crude from Ghana its first-ever cargo of Ghanaian crude as part of efforts to diversify feedstock amid Nigeria’s ongoing production shortfalls.

Industry data from Kpler showed crude deliveries to Dangote surged to 570,000 bpd in July, with about 60 per cent sourced from the United States and 40 per cent from Nigerian grades. The shift, analysts said, reflects both supply constraints at home and the cost competitiveness of U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

Currently, throughput at the refinery is estimated at 445,000 bpd (68% of capacity), up from 400,000 bpd in the first quarter. Operations are projected to remain steady in the near term, with a slight dip expected during routine maintenance in December–January.