The Dangote Petroleum Refinery faced persistent challenges with its Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker unit. This key component cracked heavy residues into valuable products like gasoline and diesel. Sources revealed that the refinery continued to import diesel and feedstock to maintain operations.
Diesel Cargo En Route from India
A Suezmax tanker named MT AESOP loaded diesel at Jamnagar Refinery in India. Vessel-tracking data showed it partially discharged in Lomé, Togo, on January 22 and 24, 2026. The tanker then headed to Nigeria to deliver about 54,000 metric tonnes of diesel at the Dangote Refinery by January 29, 2026.
A source shared details on the import. The source stated, “This is another vessel of AGO (diesel) imported by Dangote and set for discharge, despite marketers being barred from importing.” This action highlighted regulatory inconsistencies.
Quality Checks Confirmed Import Standards
Inspectors from Saybolt Inspection Services India Pvt Ltd examined the diesel cargo. They drew samples on December 27, 2025, and completed analysis by January 20, 2026. The certificate issued on January 21, 2026, verified ultra low sulphur content and compliance with viscosity, flash point, and other standards.
As a result, the fuel met international requirements. It appeared clear and bright, ensuring suitability for use.
RFCC Unit Faced Repeated Shutdowns
The RFCC unit has experienced unreliability since April 2025. Kpler reported multiple outages that delayed restarts. Initially planned for early February 2026, the restart slipped to February 10, with potential further delays.
Meanwhile crude processing stayed low. Estimates placed January 2026 runs at 280,000 to 300,000 barrels per day. February projections held steady at 300,000 to 320,000 barrels per day.
Shift to Lighter Crude Maintained Output
Dangote Refinery switched to lighter crude grades with API gravity of 37 to 39 late 2025. This change preserved feedstock for other units like the Continuous Catalytic Reformer and isomerization. It reduced disruption risks during RFCC downtime.
However production remained below expectations. The refinery produced about 95,000 barrels per day of gasoline and 120,000 barrels per day of middle distillates in January.
Increased Feedstock Imports Supported Supply
To boost capacity, the refinery imported gasoline blending components. Kpler estimated imports at 45,000 barrels per day in January 2026. This step compensated for limited internal conversion.
CEO David Bird explained the approach. He said, “Dangote refinery is a fully flexible merchant refining, blending and trading platform. We import and process crudes and condensates in our crude distiller, we import and process intermediate feedstocks directly into our downstream conversion and processing units and we bring in blending components when market opportunities arise.”
Bird added, “We continue to import intermediate feedstocks for processing into PMS whilst we undergo planned maintenance of our RFCC.” Despite challenges, the refinery supplied 45 to 50 million liters per day to Nigeria.
Future Projections Remained Uncertain
Kpler forecasted gradual improvements. Runs could reach 350,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026 and 400,000 by mid-year, if RFCC ramped up. Gasoline output might climb to 150,000 barrels per day.
Moreover, risks persisted. Stabilization required months, as mega-refineries often took 24 to 36 months to normalize.
