From Victor Osula, Abuja
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has assured Nigerians that the era of persistent fuel queues—especially during festive seasons—is now over.
Speaking with State House Correspondents on Friday after what he described as a routine visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Dangote said his refinery had formally notified the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of its capacity to supply 50 million litres of petrol daily, exceeding Nigeria’s national consumption.
“Historically, Nigeria has battled fuel queues since 1972. For the first time, we are eliminating those queues, not through imports but by producing locally.
“Even when we were servicing the refinery, there were no queues. I can assure you that queues are now history,” Dangote said.
He disclosed that by February 2026, the refinery will be producing 15 to 20 million litres above Nigeria’s daily consumption, enabling exports of surplus petrol to neighbouring countries and stabilising supply across West Africa.
Dangote highlighted the refinery’s impact on domestic industries, particularly manufacturers in the plastics sector, who previously spent about $400 million annually on imported feedstock.
With local production, he said those costs would drop significantly.
Outlining long-term expansion plans, he stated that the refinery aims to scale up output to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028—surpassing India’s Reliance refinery, the current world’s largest at 1.25 million barrels per day.
“We have already signed the necessary agreements. Construction piling begins before the end of January, and we will deliver on schedule,” he said.
He also announced plans to raise annual urea production to 12 million tonnes, a move that would place Nigeria ahead of Russia and Qatar as the world’s top producer.
“Our goal is to use our fertiliser company to supply the entire African continent,” he added.
Commenting on recent drops in petrol and diesel prices, Dangote attributed the development to increased competition and a sharp decline in fuel smuggling.
“Prices are going down because we must compete with imports. Luckily, smuggling has dropped significantly, though not completely,” he stated.
Dangote emphasised that the refinery was built as a long-term national investment, not a quick-profit venture.
“We’re not here to recover 20 billion dollars overnight. This is a long-term investment. The legacy I want to leave is that whatever Nigerians need—fuel, fertiliser, power—we will be part of delivering it.”
He also reaffirmed his support for the Tinubu administration’s naira-for-crude policy, describing it as a patriotic step to strengthen the local economy despite pushback from international oil companies.
“It’s a teething problem, but it will be resolved, either through legislation or administrative action,” he said
