DANGOTE Petroleum Refinery failed to meet its 35 million litres of petrol daily projection in November 2025, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
In its November 2025 ‘State of the Midstream and Downstream Fact Sheet,’ NMDPRA said despite a projected output of 35 million litres of petrol per day, Dangote refinery’s actual domestic evaluation performance stood at 23.52 million litres per day.
The report said Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption dropped to an average of 52.9 million litres in November 2025, down from 56.7 million litres in October 2025.
Despite this drop in consumption, petrol supply rose to 71 million litres per day in November 2025 as against 46 million litres per day in October.
Of the total supply in November, the agency said 52.1 million litres were imported, while 19.5 million litres came from the nation’s local refineries. This implies that imports still exceed local petrol production.
The increase in petrol supply in November, according to the NMDPRA, was driven by low supply levels recorded in September and October 2025, which fell below national demand thresholds.
READ ALSO: Fight to finish: PENGASSAN cuts gas supply to Dangote refinery
According to the agency, there were November imports by the NNPC, who it described as the supplier of last resort, to build inventory and further guarantee supply during the peak demand period in December.
“Twelve (12) vessels programmed to discharge into October but spilled into November 2025,” the report said..
The NMDPRA said domestic supply volumes were based on disport/discharged figures + refinery truck-outs, noting that diesel and aviation fuel consumption in November stood at an average of 15.4 million litres and 2.5 million litres respectively.
Port Harcourt refinery supplied 349,000 litres per day of diesel despite being shut down. Regarding the capacity of modular refineries, the NMDPRA said Waltersmith refinery reported an average capacity utilisation of 63.32 percent, with an average diesel output of 133,000 litres per day.
Edo refinery operated at an average capacity utilisation of 91.40 percent, as it produced about 60,000 litres of diesel daily. Aradel refinery, on the other hand, recorded an average capacity utilisation of 62.30 percent, posting an average diesel supply of 296,000 litres per day.
However, OPAC and Duport refineries did not produce anything.
Dangote disagrees with NMDPRA’s figures
Africa’s richest man, Mr Aliko Dangote, does not believe these numbers. Earlier in December, he had accused the NMDPRA, under its former Chief Executive Officer, Mr Farouk Ahmed, of misrepresenting the refinery’s capacity by publishing offtake figures rather than actual production levels.
“We have the capacity to meet local demand, and we have sufficient refined products in stock. But to keep prices high, imports are deliberately encouraged,” he said.
Corruption allegations against ex-NMDPRA chief
At a press conference at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in December, Mr Dangote had accused the ex-NMDPRA chief, Mr Farouk Ahmed, of colluding with international traders and oil importers to frustrate local refining through the continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products.
READ ALSO: Dangote Refinery has no operating license, company only 45% completed – Nigerian Regulator
Mr Dangote had also alleged that Mr Ahmed was living beyond his legitimate means, claiming that four of his children were attending secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into several million dollars.
Africa’s richest man noted that he was not calling for Mr Ahmed’s removal, but for a proper investigation to be done by relevant agencies of the government. “He should be required to account for his actions and demonstrate that he has not compromised his position to the detriment of Nigerians. What is happening amounts to economic sabotage,” Dangote said.
He further alleged that Mr Ahmed paid as much as $5 million in tuition fees for his children in secondary schools in Switzerland, stressing that this was beyond the legitimate earnings of a public servant.
The businessman claimed that such expenditure raised serious questions about potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum sector.
He subsequently filed a petition against Mr Ahmed at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, accusing the agency’s chief of corruption.
This led to the resignation of Mr Ahmed and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe, a few days later.
