Dangote Refinery has partnered with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to increase crude supply under the naira-crude arrangement, a move that is helping to end long petrol queues across the country.

David Bird, the newly appointed Managing Director and CEO of Dangote Refinery, said the discussions with NNPCL aim to maintain steady production even as some sections of the refinery undergo maintenance.

“The refinery currently produces between 50 and 52 million litres of petrol daily,” Bird said, adding that more than a thousand trucks are loaded every day at the gantry price of N699 per litre. He also assured that petrol quality and affordability will be maintained for consumers.

Bird confirmed that plans to expand the refinery are ongoing. The facility, which currently processes 650,000 barrels per day (b/d), is set to increase capacity to 1.4 million b/d by 2028 with the addition of a second 750,000 b/d processing line at the Lagos site. Lessons learned from the first line will allow the second line to be completed more efficiently.

The refinery is also preparing to roll out a free delivery plan, which Bird said will be launched soon.

The partnership with NNPCL and the ramp-up in production have reportedly contributed to the disappearance of petrol queues in major Nigerian cities, marking a significant improvement in domestic fuel supply.