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Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has rejected reports suggesting that it imports finished petroleum products, calling the claims “false and misleading” and rooted in a misunderstanding of modern refinery operations.
At a media briefing at the Lagos refinery, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, David Bird, explained that processing intermediate or semi‑processed materials is a common practice in global refining. “This does not mean we are importing finished fuels,” he clarified.
DPRP, a state-of-the-art merchant refinery, converts crude oil and intermediate feedstocks into high-quality petroleum products and petrochemicals that meet international standards. Bird emphasized that the refinery follows European and Asian merchant refinery models, integrating advanced refining, blending, and trading systems to achieve stringent quality and environmental benchmarks.
“DPRP produces fuels that meet international environmental and health standards. Our gasoline is lead‑free and MMT‑free with 50 parts per million sulphur, and our diesel meets ultra-low sulphur specifications. These standards reduce emissions, protect engines, and safeguard public health,” Bird said.
He added that the refinery supplies only fully refined, market-ready fuels. “Semi-finished fuels are unsuitable for vehicles and are never released into the Nigerian market,” he noted, showing journalists samples of both intermediate feedstocks and finished products.
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Bird also highlighted the refinery’s broader role in improving fuel quality in Nigeria. Established to end years of reliance on substandard fuel, DPRP now produces products that meet global standards and are even exported internationally, demonstrating their competitiveness.
Intermediate materials such as naphtha, straight‑run gas oil, vacuum gas oil (VGO), reformate, alkylate, and isomerate serve as feedstock for finished fuels like petrol and diesel, as well as petrochemicals. Bird stressed that the refinery’s flexible design allows it to process a diverse range of crude oils and feedstocks into premium products.
“It is unfortunate that some individuals are deliberately spreading misleading narratives about a refinery that has transformed Nigeria and the West African region from a dumping ground for substandard fuels into a hub for high-quality products,” Bird said. He called on the media to educate the public on the distinction between intermediate products and finished fuel.
Bird also assured Nigerians of sustained product availability, noting that DPRP has helped ease fuel scarcity, stabilise the naira, and reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Brand and Communications Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, urged journalists to be precise in reporting. “Inaccurate terminology could misinform the public and create unnecessary panic,” he warned.
