Key Points
- Dangote Group continues refinery expansion to 1.4 million barrels per day despite tariff delay.
- The government postponed the fifteen percent fuel import duty to early 2026.
- Dangote plans aim to boost domestic supply and strengthen exports across Africa.
The company is working to raise capacity to one point four million barrels per day. That figure is more than double its current output.
Expansion plan stays on course
The group confirmed the expansion last month as part of a long term plan to strengthen domestic supply and grow exports.
The project will make the refinery one of the largest of its kind once completed.
Anthony Chiejina, who speaks for the company, explained that the delay in the tariff does not affect the roadmap.
He noted that the expansion is built on future demand and stable investment. He also dismissed reports that the duty shift could weaken interest in the project.
Government shifts duty to 2026
The Federal Government recently delayed the start of the fifteen percent fuel import duty to the first quarter of 2026.
Federal Inland Revenue Service Chairman Zacch Adedeji made the request after concerns that the measure could raise prices before local supply improves.
The duty, which received approval in October, is meant to support local refining and create a better balance between imports and domestic output.
During an industry meeting in Abuja, Joseph Tolorunse of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority said the government stepped back due to public concerns.
He noted that the duty could have driven investment in the long run, even if prices rose at first.
Energy analyst Henry Adigun argued that the tariff would only work once Nigeria has enough local production.
He warned that any increase in import duty while the country still depends on foreign fuel would raise costs for consumers.
Dangote Refinery has also raised the ex gantry price of cooking gas from seven hundred fifteen naira to eight hundred naira per kilogram. It is the first upward adjustment by the refinery this year.
Wider operations
Dangote Group operates in seventeen African countries in cement, sugar, refining and food. The company has played a central role in shaping the downstream market with its refinery.
It recently confirmed that petrol and diesel supply will continue through the Christmas and New Year season.
