Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed recent media claims that it is importing finished petrol with high sulphur content into Nigeria, describing the reports as false, malicious, and misleading. The clarification follows a report by Sahara Reporters which alleged that the refinery imported dirty fuel from the United Kingdom with sulphur content thirteen times higher than Nigeria’s approved 50 parts per million (ppm) limit.
In its official statement, Dangote Petroleum Refinery explained that the cargo in question was not finished petrol but an intermediate feedstock, a standard input used by refineries across the world for production optimisation. The company emphasised that the feedstock will be fully refined in its units to meet both Nigerian and international fuel quality standards.
“As a world-scale complex refinery, Dangote processes a range of crude oils and intermediate feedstocks, which is standard global practice aimed at optimising production and quality,” the statement read. “The cargo in question is an intermediate feedstock, not finished petrol, and will be fully refined in our units to meet Nigerian and international quality standards.”
Sahara Reporters had earlier published an exclusive story alleging that the refinery imported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) with sulphur content far exceeding Nigeria’s approved environmental standard. The report cited an unnamed industry source who claimed that a vessel, MT Clearocean Mary, was scheduled to arrive at the refinery’s offshore facility on October 9, 2025, with about 37,000 metric tonnes (49.6 million litres) of petrol containing 690ppm sulphur.
The report also alleged that the product was loaded from the Phillips 66 Refinery in Immingham, United Kingdom, and supported this with a Certificate of Quality indicating that the consignment contained high-sulphur catalytic gasoline. The document, signed by a representative of the Humber Refinery’s quality-assurance department, stated that the fuel had characteristics consistent with refinery-grade gasoline, including a Research Octane Number of 92.3, a Motor Octane Number of 79.3, and a density of 0.7375 kilograms per litre. However, it recorded a sulphur concentration of 690ppm, well above the 50ppm limit enforced by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Responding to these claims, Dangote Refinery maintained that it operates within a Free Trade Zone and only refines and sells high-quality fuels compliant with all regulatory standards. The company added that its exports of petroleum products to the United States and Europe, two of the most strictly regulated fuel markets, prove its adherence to global benchmarks.
“All imports are accompanied by quality certificates and shared transparently with regulators,” the refinery said. “We are also willing to make these documents available to the public in the interest of full transparency and accountability.”
Dangote Refinery reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s energy independence and stated that it remains focused on producing cleaner fuels for both domestic and international markets. The company reiterated that its operations uphold the highest standards of environmental safety, transparency, and product quality.
Industry sources had alleged that the refinery’s Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit was not operational and claimed that the company was selling imported fuel as locally refined petrol. However, Dangote Group dismissed these allegations, insisting that its refining process complies with global environmental and quality standards.
Dangote Refinery was inaugurated in May 2023 and has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. The facility, located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, was built to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined products and boost energy security.
The refinery stated that it remains committed to producing petrol that meets the 50ppm sulphur specification in line with Nigeria’s “Clean Fuels” initiative under the Petroleum Industry Act. It also assured Nigerians that no product will be released for sale until it meets both domestic and international quality requirements.
“We remain fully committed to advancing Nigeria’s energy independence, upholding the highest standards of quality and transparency, and delivering cleaner fuels for Nigeria and beyond,” the statement concluded.