The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery imported about 1.46 billion litres of gasoline blendstock and intermediates between January and May 2026 to support fuel production. The imports came despite the refinery receiving both domestic and imported crude oil supplies.
According to NMDPRA’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Statistics for May 2026, the refinery used the imported blendstock to sustain an average daily petrol production of 44.7 million litres and achieved an average capacity utilisation of 101.25 per cent in May. Gasoline blendstocks are intermediate petroleum products mixed with refinery streams to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) that meets quality and environmental standards.
The refinery imported 658.31 million litres of 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. The May volume represented a 63.3 per cent increase from April, indicating stronger feedstock purchases as refining activities expanded.
NMDPRA data showed that Dangote Refinery supplied about 41.5 million litres of petrol daily to the domestic market in May, while maintaining a closing stock of 9.4 million litres. It also produced 24.5 million litres of diesel daily, supplying 18.2 million litres locally and exporting 6.5 million litres. Aviation fuel production stood at 21.9 million litres per day, with exports accounting for 17.5 million litres.
The report further revealed that the refinery received 17.92 million barrels of crude oil in May, comprising 15.84 million barrels from domestic sources and 2.08 million barrels of imported crude. Although the volume was below the estimated 20.15 million barrels required to run at full capacity for the month, the refinery still reported utilisation above 100 per cent, suggesting that imported blendstocks complemented crude supplies and boosted finished product output.
Energy expert and University of Lagos professor, Dayo Ayoade, described the use of gasoline blendstocks as standard global refining practice. He explained that refiners use such feedstocks to improve fuel quality, optimise refinery operations and increase production, particularly when crude supplies are unstable.
Ayoade, however, noted that the continued importation of blendstocks raises concerns about foreign exchange outflows. He warned that while the practice is technically acceptable, it exposes the refinery to international market risks and could fuel misconceptions that the facility imports finished petrol, which he said is not the case.
