Dangote refinery gains edge as fuel import costs rise

Fuel import costs in Nigeria have risen to the point where marketers are increasingly turning to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery for their petroleum products. The estimated cost of importing petrol and diesel has surpassed the refinery's selling prices, according to the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria's latest Energy Bulletin.

Dangote's gantry price for Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) was N1,350 per litre as of September 17, 2026, which was cheaper than the estimated import parity price of N1,364.02 to N1,365.02 per litre. The seven-day average import parity price for petrol was even higher at N1,371.92 per litre, indicating that importing petrol was about N14 to N22 per litre more expensive than obtaining it from Dangote.

Diesel was also more expensive to import, with Dangote's gantry price at N1,850 per litre compared to the estimated landed cost of N1,933.56 to N1,934.91 per litre. The coastal price of petrol from Dangote was N1,330 per litre, while diesel was $1,580.75 per metric tonne. This trend is part of a larger shift in Nigeria's coastal supply chain, with fresh petroleum product shipments continuing to move through the ports of Lagos, Warri, and Port Harcourt.