By Wellington Jopelo
New industry figures have shown that the Dangote Refinery imported about 1.46 billion litres of fuel blending materials within the first five months of 2026 as operations continue to expand at the massive Lagos-based facility.
The data, released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), indicates that the refinery relied on imported gasoline blending components between January and May to support local petrol production.
According to the report, the imported materials were used in refining Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, helping the facility maintain steady production as fuel demand remains high across Nigeria.
Records showed the refinery brought in large volumes in January, while additional shipments continued arriving over the following months as production activities scaled up further.
Industry analysts say blending materials are commonly imported by refineries to improve output levels and help increase the quantity of finished fuel available for market distribution.
The report also suggested that Dangote Refinery has continued operating at a very strong production level, with daily petrol output remaining one of the highest recorded in Nigeria’s refining sector.
The latest figures have renewed conversations around the refinery’s growing role in Nigeria’s energy market as the country pushes to reduce dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
Experts note that despite local refining capacity increasing, the use of imported blending materials shows the refinery is still optimizing production processes to meet rising consumer demand.
The development further highlights the scale of operations at the multi-billion-dollar refinery, which has rapidly become a major force in the country’s downstream oil industry.
As Nigeria continues efforts toward fuel self-sufficiency, many industry watchers believe Dangote Refinery will remain central to the country’s long-term plans for energy stability and reduced import dependence.