Dangote Petroleum Refinery has firmly denied reports suggesting it imports finished Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into Nigeria, describing the claims as misleading and inaccurate. The refinery issued the clarification on Tuesday following recent publications attributed to S&P Global, which it said misrepresented its operations and painted a distorted picture of Nigeria’s refining landscape.
The company specifically refuted claims amplified through newspaper advertisements on Monday, February 9, 2026, which alleged that the refinery brings in finished gasoline. According to Dangote Refinery, the issue was already addressed at an S&P Global forum held the same day in the United Kingdom, where participants acknowledged the refinery’s growing role in reshaping global refining dynamics.
In an official statement, the management stressed that Dangote Refinery does not import finished PMS, noting that it only sources alternative feedstocks and blending components to optimise its secondary processing units. These materials, which include high-sulphur reformates, low-RON condensates, and cracked gasoline streams, require further refining before they meet Nigeria’s regulated fuel specifications.
The refinery explained that importing such intermediate products is a standard global practice among advanced refineries in Europe and Asia, aimed at improving operational flexibility and efficiency. It warned that describing these intermediate streams as finished fuel distorts public understanding and undermines confidence in Nigeria’s progress toward refining self-sufficiency.
Reiterating its commitment to transparency, Dangote Refinery stated that the only gasoline supplied to the Nigerian market is its Euro 5-compliant PMS, which undergoes rigorous quality testing. The company added that its operations have significantly improved fuel quality nationwide and reduced reliance on low-grade imports, while calling on industry stakeholders and data providers to uphold higher standards of accuracy and responsibility in their reporting.
source: The Sun