Officials at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have disputed reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) allocated seven crude cargoes to the facility for May, clarifying that the refinery is expected to receive approximately six cargoes.
The 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery has consistently faced challenges in securing enough crude locally, with monthly requirements of nearly 20 million barrels. Currently, the facility receives far fewer cargoes than needed, forcing reliance on imported crude at international market prices, which has contributed to recent petrol price increases above ₦1,200 per litre.
Dangote officials emphasized that while NNPC provides around five cargoes per month, this falls short of the 13 cargoes required to sustain domestic sales. The refinery has appealed for increased local crude allocation to stabilize operations.
NNPC, meanwhile, confirmed it is actively working to increase crude supply to the refinery, including sourcing third-party crude through its global trading network at competitive international rates. The national oil company affirmed its commitment to supporting domestic refining capacity amid temporary supply constraints.
Economists have suggested that the federal government could consider selling crude at a fixed price to Dangote Refinery to prevent further spikes in fuel prices amid ongoing Middle East tensions.
The Dangote Refinery remains a key supplier of petroleum products, including aviation fuel and diesel, both critical amid global supply disruptions.
