The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has revealed a growing reliance by Dangote Petroleum Refinery on imported gasoline blendstock, mainly to boost its refined fuel production.
Latest industry data obtained from the NMDPRA’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Statistics for May 2026 and analysed by our correspondent on Sunday showed that the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery imported about 1.46 billion litres of intermediates and gasoline blendstock between January and May this year, despite receiving volumes of domestic and imported crude oil.
The industry report showed that the refinery continued to supplement crude oil processing with imported intermediates, helping it sustain daily petrol production of 44.7 million litres and achieve an average capacity utilisation of 101.25 per cent in May.
It also indicates that the refinery continued to rely on imported intermediates and gasoline blendstock to optimise production of Premium Motor Spirit despite increased access to crude oil supplies.
Gasoline blendstock refers to intermediate petroleum products used in refining operations to produce finished petrol that meets required quality and environmental specifications.
The product, rather than being sold directly to consumers, serves as an intermediate feedstock that is blended with other refinery streams and additives to produce Premium Motor Spirit that meets required quality, octane and environmental specifications.
The blendstocks can be mixed with products generated from crude oil refining to increase petrol output, improve fuel quality and enhance refining flexibility. Common gasoline blendstocks include reformate, alkylate, naphtha and other high-octane blending components.
By introducing gasoline blendstocks into the refining process, a refinery can increase the volume of finished petrol produced without relying solely on crude oil inputs. This can be particularly useful when domestic demand is strong or when refiners seek to maximise returns from specific products.
In the case of Dangote Refinery, the NMDPRA data suggest that imported blendstocks may be helping the facility sustain high petrol output and reach its nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
An analysis of the report showed that Dangote Refinery imported 658.31 million litres of gasoline 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 cumulative volume imported during the five-month period stood at approximately 1.46 billion litres. The latest data showed that after three consecutive months of decline between January and March, the refinery increased its blendstock intake in April and May, signalling stronger feedstock purchases as production activities expanded.
The May volume of 240.59 million litres represented a 63.3 per cent increase from the 147.37 million litres imported in April. The development comes as the refinery sustained high utilisation rates and continued to dominate Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply market.
According to the NMDPRA report, the refinery operated at an average capacity utilisation of 101.25 per cent in May, underscoring strong operational performance at the facility.
The report further showed that the refinery produced an average of 44.7 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit per day during the month. Out of the total PMS produced, about 41.5 million litres per day were supplied to the domestic market, while closing stock stood at 9.4 million litres.
The refinery also produced 24.5 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel, daily. Of this volume, 18.2 million litres were supplied locally while 6.5 million litres were exported. For aviation fuel, the refinery recorded daily production of 21.9 million litres. Domestic supply stood at 2.8 million litres per day, while exports reached 17.5 million litres daily.
Further analysis of the NMDPRA data showed that the refinery continued to receive a combination of domestic and imported crude oil feedstock. In May, domestic crude supplied to refineries stood at 15.84 million barrels, while imported crude accounted for 2.08 million barrels, bringing total crude receipts to 17.92 million barrels.
This compares with total crude receipts of 18.37 million barrels in April, made up of 17.96 million barrels of domestic crude and 410,000 barrels of imported crude. The figures suggest that despite improvements in local crude supply, imported feedstocks and intermediates remain an important component of the refinery’s operations.
On a comparison of imported gasoline feedstock and capacity output, the data suggests that Dangote Petroleum Refinery is increasingly deploying imported gasoline blendstock as a strategic feedstock to maximise petrol production and sustain operations at levels close to, and even above, its installed refining capacity.
Total crude receipts increased from 9.53 million barrels in January to a peak of 20.92 million barrels in March before moderating to 17.92 million barrels in May.
In January, when crude receipts stood at 9.53 million barrels, Dangote recorded its highest gasoline blendstock import volume of the year at 658.31 million litres. The high level of imports during the period likely reflected efforts by the refinery to supplement feedstock availability and maintain product output as crude supply arrangements were still being stabilised.
As crude supplies improved in February and March, the refinery’s dependence on imported blendstock declined sharply. Total crude intake rose to 13.11 million barrels in February and further to 20.92 million barrels in March, while gasoline blendstock imports dropped from 306.89 million litres in February to just 102.35 million litres in March, the lowest level recorded during the five-month period.
The pattern suggested that increased access to crude oil reduced the refinery’s immediate need for imported gasoline components, allowing more products to be generated directly from refining operations.
The PUNCH