Dangote Refinery Faces Extended Gasoline Unit Shutdown, Impacting Global Fuel Markets
Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery, one of the world’s largest single-train refineries with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), may see its gasoline production unit remain offline for two to three months due to ongoing repairs, according to industry monitor IIR Energy.
The Residue Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU), which processes 204,000 bpd, has been offline since August 29 following catalyst leaks. While the refinery initially targeted a September 20 restart, IIR Energy cautioned that major equipment replacements and repairs could extend the outage significantly.
Earlier reports by Reuters had indicated a minimum two-week shutdown, raising concerns that Dangote could face operational challenges similar to those currently affecting some Middle Eastern refineries.
The outage coincides with a surge in gasoline exports from Dangote, even as other refineries in the Middle East experience partial or full shutdowns. One gasoline trader noted, “This just adds fuel to the fire,” reflecting further tightening of an already strong market.
U.S. gasoline futures crack spread has jumped nearly 13% this week, reaching its highest level since August 19.
In Northwest Europe, profit margins climbed roughly 23% to $19.31 per barrel as of Wednesday, marking their strongest level since late June, according to LSEG data.
Since beginning crude processing in January 2024, the Dangote Refinery has reshaped global gasoline trade flows. EU and UK gasoline exports to Nigeria fell from around 200,000 bpd in 2024 to approximately 120,000 bpd in the first half of 2025, Kpler data shows.
The refinery has also expanded exports outside West Africa, sending 90,000 metric tons of gasoline to Asia in June and two gasoline cargoes to the U.S. East Coast, set to arrive in New York later this month—marking a significant step in meeting U.S. fuel standards.
