Yemisi Izuora
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals (DPRP) has dismissed reports suggesting that it imports finished petroleum products.
The refinery’s management described the claims as false and rooted in a misunderstanding of standard refinery operations.
The DPRP is a modern, large-scale merchant refinery with the capacity to refine crude oil as well as process intermediate feedstocks into high-quality finished petroleum products and petrochemicals, it said.
Speaking during a media briefing at the refinery, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of DPRP, David Bird, explained that it is standard industry practice for refineries to process intermediate or semi-processed materials into finished fuels. He stressed that this does not amount to importing finished petroleum products.
He noted that unlike conventional Nigerian refineries, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery operates on a European and Asian merchant refinery model, featuring a state-of-the-art refining, blending, and trading configuration designed to meet modern quality standards.
“DPRP produces high-quality fuels aligned with international environmental and health standards. Our gasoline is lead-free and MMT-free, with 50 parts per million sulphur, while our diesel meets ultra-low sulphur standards. These specifications help reduce emissions, protect engines, and safeguard public health,” Bird said.
According to him, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery produces only fully refined, market-ready fuels. “Dangote Petroleum Refinery offers high-quality finished products. We will never supply semi-finished products to the market. Semi-finished products should not be used in vehicles,” Bird said, while displaying samples of intermediate feedstocks and finished products to journalists.
He noted that while Nigerians had historically been exposed to substandard fuel, the refinery was established to reverse that trend and deliver fuels that meet the highest international standards. Bird added that the refinery’s products are now supplied to markets across the world, reflecting their quality and competitiveness.
Intermediate products, he explained, are semi-processed materials derived from crude oil and used as feedstock for further refining into finished fuels such as petrol and diesel, as well as petrochemicals. These include naphtha, straight-run gas oils, vacuum gas oil (VGO), reformate, alkylate and isomerate.
Bird emphasised that the refinery has remained transparent in its operations and engagements with regulators and urged the media to help educate the public on the distinction between intermediate and finished products.
“It is regrettable that some individuals are deliberately spreading false narratives about a refinery that has transformed Nigeria and the wider West African region from a dumping ground for substandard fuel into a refining hub with access to high-quality products,” he said.
He further noted that the refinery’s design flexibility allows it to process a wide range of crude oils and intermediate feedstocks into premium finished products.
Assuring of product availability to meet domestic demand, Bird said the refinery has played a significant role in easing fuel scarcity, stabilising the naira, and reducing pressure on foreign exchange.
Group Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina, also urged journalists to exercise caution in their choice of words, warning that inaccurate terminology could misinform the public and create unnecessary panic.