Data shows that Africa's largest refinery imported over 1 million barrels of blended gasoline

The 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery, according to recent data, imported an estimated 1.46 billion litres of intermediates and gasoline blendstock.

• The Dangote Refinery imported 1.46 billion litres of intermediates and gasoline blendstock between January and May.
• Despite increased crude oil access, the refinery continues to rely on imported intermediates to maintain and optimize gasoline output.
• Average daily gasoline production in May was 44.7 million litres, with a capacity utilization rate of 101.25%.
• Imported fuel is used as a secondary feedstock, mixed with other refinery streams to ensure gasoline meets quality and environmental standards.

The import spanned 5 months, from the start of the year to the month of May.

The data, as reported by the Punch, is courtesy of industry data gotten from the NMDPRA’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Statistics for May 2026.

Industry data indicate that the refinery sustained a daily gasoline production volume of 44.7 million liters and recorded an average capacity utilization rate of 101.25 percent during May. This was accomplished by augmenting crude oil processing with imported intermediates.

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Furthermore, the data shows that, despite enhanced access to crude oil supplies, the refinery continued to rely on imported intermediates and gasoline blendstock to optimize the output of Premium Motor Spirit.

However, it is important to note that the imported fuel product is not sold directly to the consumer but instead used as a secondary feedstock that is mixed with other refinery streams and compounds to create petrol that fulfills quality, octane, and environmental standards.

This strategy enables the facility to enhance the yield of refined gasoline while reducing exclusive dependence on crude oil feedstock.

Figures from the report

Analysis from the Punch reveals that the refinery imported 658.31 million litres of gasoline blendstock in January, 306.89 million litres in February, 102.35 million litres in March, 147.37 million litres in April, and 240.59 million litres in May, totaling 1.46 billion litres across the first five months of the year.

According to an examination of NMDPRA data, the refinery maintains a diversified procurement strategy involving both domestic and international crude oil feedstocks.

Total crude receipts increased from 9.53 million barrels in January to 13.11 million in February, then peaked at 20.92 million barrels in March before declining to 18.37 million barrels in April and 17.92 million barrels in May.

Over the same time period, gasoline blendstock imports decreased from 658.31 million litres in January to 306.89 million litres in February and 102.35 million litres in March, before rising to 147.37 million litres in April and 240.59 million litres in May.

The data imply that greater crude supply first decreased the refinery's reliance on imported blendstock, but imports eventually climbed despite continued high crude receipts.