Private Depot owners hike ex-Depot petrol price to ₦800/Litre
…as Dangote Refinery Shuts Petrol Unit for Planned Maintenance and upgrades
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market has witnessed a sharp price reversal, with private depot owners lifting the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS, commonly known as petrol) to ₦800 per litre across major locations. This development follows confirmation that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has temporarily shut down its primary petrol-producing unit for strategic maintenance and upgrades.
According to reports from Energy in Africa, the price adjustment comes after a brief softening period between December 23–24, 2025. Prior to the latest hike, ex-depot prices had ranged from ₦725/litre in Lagos (at depots like Nipco, Rainoil, and Aiteo) to between ₦754–₦773/litre in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Calabar. By late December 2025 and into early January 2026, most major depots—including those in Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri, and now Lagos aligned at the ₦800/litre mark.
The price surge is directly linked to the planned turnaround maintenance at the Dangote Refinery. The refinery has taken its Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) the main gasoline-producing unit offline, with the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) also set for a brief suspension in early January 2026. The maintenance is described as strategic rather than an emergency, aimed at removing operational constraints and boosting overall capacity.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Dangote Industries, explained in comments to Platts (S&P Global):
“In most departments, our production levels have gone beyond 100%. We just need to remove constraints to raise overall output.”
The upgrade is expected to increase the CDU capacity from the current 650,000 barrels per day to 700,000 bpd, positioning the refinery for higher long-term production.
