By Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed allegations that its refined petroleum products are exported to Lomé, Togo, before being re-imported into Nigeria, describing the claims as unfounded and contrary to commercial reality.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 and signed by the Refinery Management, said it rarely responds to what it called baseless allegations but decided to address the issue because of the growing circulation of what it described as false narratives.
The company maintained that the allegation lacks support from trade data and economic logic, insisting that facilitating the return of its own products into Nigeria would undermine its commercial objectives and long-term business strategy.
According to the refinery, its contracts with buyers expressly prohibit the resale or re-importation of products into the Nigerian market.
”A key objective of Dangote Refinery is to maintain and strengthen its position as a leading supplier of petroleum products to the Nigerian market. Facilitating imports that compete directly with our own production would be inconsistent with this objective,” the statement said.
The refinery also argued that the economics of such a transaction makes no business sense. It estimated that transporting petroleum products from its facility to Lomé and back into Nigeria would cost between 82 and 90 U.S. dollars per metric tonne, a figure it said would significantly reduce profitability.
It added that it does not offer export discounts large enough to offset such logistics costs or create an opportunity for arbitrage between export and domestic markets.
The company further stated that every shipment is backed by detailed documentation, including lifting points, nominated vessels, counterparties and destination declarations, making it possible to track products throughout the supply chain.
”Any suggestion that the refinery is knowingly facilitating re-importation is inconsistent with the contractual restrictions imposed on buyers and the refinery’s established compliance procedures,” the statement added.
Dangote Refinery also said the allegation contradicts its long-standing advocacy for reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
According to the company, increased fuel imports place pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves, weaken domestic industrial development and undermine investments in local refining capacity.
Reaffirming its position, the refinery said there is neither a commercial incentive nor a strategic reason to export products to neighbouring countries only for them to be shipped back into Nigeria.
