Dangote Petroleum Refinery supplied an average of about 50 million litres of petrol daily to Nigeria’s domestic market in the first half of 2026, as higher plant utilisation boosted production and strengthened the facility’s role in the country’s petroleum supply chain.
The figure was disclosed in Dangote Group’s H1 2026 Macroeconomic Report, titled Between Windfall and Inflation, which stated that daily petrol supply reached a record 56 million litres in April, against a planned monthly evacuation volume of approximately 1.1 million tonnes.
The report also showed that refinery utilisation rose from about 45% in early 2025 to between 98% and 101% from April to June 2026. In June, the facility’s processing capacity was rerated from 650,000 barrels per day to 700,000 barrels per day, reflecting an expansion of its operating capacity.
Beyond petrol, the refinery supplied approximately 25 million litres of diesel daily and up to 29 million litres of jet fuel per day during the first half of the year, while exporting surplus refined products to markets across West Africa and beyond.
The increased output has coincided with a decline in Nigeria’s reliance on imported petrol. According to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), average daily petrol imports fell by 26% to 14.6 million litres in August 2026, from 19.7 million litres in July.
NMDPRA data also showed that Dangote Refinery recorded average capacity utilisation of 105.21% in August, 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, with closing stock reaching 360.4 million litres.
The figures underline the distinction between refinery production and domestic supply: not all products produced are delivered to the Nigerian market, as some volumes are exported and others contribute to stock levels. Domestic availability therefore also depends on distribution, inventory movements and demand.
Nigeria’s petrol import expenditure has also fallen sharply. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the country’s petrol import bill declined by 96.15% to ₦87.40 billion in the first quarter of 2026, from ₦2.27 trillion in the corresponding period of 2025.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s refined petroleum product exports increased by 51% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Dangote Group report, reflecting the growing role of domestic refining in supplying regional and international markets.
Dangote Refinery has also expanded its jet fuel exports to Europe. The report stated that the facility became Europe’s largest single supplier of jet fuel in June and July, exporting more than 400,000 tonnes to the continent in July alone. In September, Aliko Dangote said the refinery had sold out its jet fuel supply to European markets for August and September, with remaining stocks reserved for Nigeria.
The expansion of domestic refining is reshaping Nigeria’s petroleum trade by reducing the need for imported petrol while creating export opportunities for surplus products. However, the long-term impact on consumers will also depend on domestic distribution efficiency, product pricing, refinery operating performance and the ability of supply to meet demand consistently.