The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced the suspension of petrol sales in naira, a decision that has unsettled marketers and raised fresh concerns about fuel pricing and foreign exchange pressure across Nigeria.
In an email sent to its customers at exactly 6:42 pm on Friday, the refinery disclosed that the suspension would take effect from Sunday, September 28, 2025. The notice cited the exhaustion of its crude-for-naira allocation as the primary reason for halting local currency transactions. The communication, titled “Suspension of DPRP PMS Naira Sales – Effective 28th September 2025,” was signed by the Group Commercial Operations of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals.
The statement read in part: “We write to inform you that Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has been selling petroleum products in excess of our Naira-Crude allocations and, consequently, we are unable to sustain PMS sales in Naira going forward. Kindly note that this suspension of Naira sales for PMS will be effective from Sunday, 28th of September, 2025. We will provide further updates regarding the resumption of supply once the situation has been resolved. All customers with PMS transactions in Naira who would like a refund of their current payments should formally request the processing of their refund.”
This announcement comes amid escalating tensions after the refinery reportedly dismissed more than 800 Nigerian workers, a move that has sparked outrage and calls for government intervention from labour unions and other stakeholders.
Notably, this is not the refinery’s first suspension of sales in local currency. In March 2025, Dangote had briefly halted naira sales due to inadequate crude-for-naira allocations amidst rising domestic fuel demand. That earlier decision heightened fears of the dollarisation of fuel sales in Nigeria and triggered sharp increases in pump prices, nearing N1,000 per litre.
Industry analysts warn that the latest suspension may again destabilize the downstream fuel sector. Jeremiah Olatide, CEO of Petroleumprice.ng, cautioned that petrol prices could surge above N900 per litre if sales shift predominantly to dollars. He credited Dangote Refinery for helping to keep pump prices relatively stable in recent months.
The suspension coincides with increased industrial unrest at the refinery. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria recently accused the company of anti-labour practices following the mass layoffs. Union leaders have vowed to resist “this unjust and insensitive corporate decision,” threatening nationwide solidarity strikes unless the issue is resolved.
As the Dangote Refinery remains central to Nigeria’s energy security, stakeholders warn that the combined effect of naira sales suspension and labour disputes could undermine governmental efforts to stabilize the fuel market under ongoing reform initiatives.
