Dangote refinery resumes petrol sales in Naira after last-minute Govt intervention

Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced the resumption of petrol sales in naira, reversing an earlier decision to suspend the practice.

• Dangote Petroleum Refinery resumed petrol sales in naira after a temporary suspension.
• The refinery underwent significant internal restructuring, affecting hundreds of workers.
• Reso­lution aims to stabilize local supply and address currency transaction concerns.
• The decision was influenced by the Naira-for-Crude Technical Committee's intervention.

The move follows intervention by the Nigerian government’s Naira-for-Crude Technical Committee, which brokered a resolution between the refinery and regulators, Punch NG reported.

Recent Reorganisation and Worker Dismissals

The announcement comes shortly after a major “reorganisation” at the refinery, which saw hundreds of Nigerian workers dismissed, sparking concerns about labour relations and internal restructuring within one of Africa’s most ambitious industrial projects.

So far, there has been no direct word from the refinery’s billionaire owner, Aliko Dangote, who has in the past emphasised that he took a “big risk” to build the refinery; an investment seen as critical to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

Also read: We can turn Africa into a 'heaven' in the next five years" — Dangote

Refinery’s Statement

In a memo sent to fuel marketers on Saturday, the refinery stated: “Following the intervention of the Naira for Crude Technical Committee Chairman, we are pleased to inform you of the resumption of PMS sales in Naira commencing immediately. You may kindly proceed to place your orders in naira for both self-collection and free delivery of PMS to the earlier advised locations across the country.”

Suspension of Naira Sales

The statement marked a reversal from an earlier notice issued on Friday, in which the refinery had announced the suspension of naira sales for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), effective September 28, 2025.

At the time, it cited the exhaustion of its crude-for-naira allocation. “We write to inform you that Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has been selling petroleum products in excess of our naira-crude allocations, and, consequently, we are unable to sustain PMS sales in naira going forward,” the refinery said.

That memo also advised customers that refunds would be processed upon request, while sales would temporarily continue exclusively in foreign exchange until the situation was resolved.

Also read: Dangote refinery suspends petrol sales in naira amid worker sackings and protest threats

Balancing Policy and Operations

With the intervention of the naira-for-crude committee, the refinery has now restored naira transactions, a move expected to stabilise local supply arrangements and ease concerns among marketers.

The development reflects the delicate balance between private operators and government policy in Africa’s largest economy, as the country seeks to strengthen domestic refining capacity while navigating labour tensions and foreign exchange pressures.