The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced the suspension of petrol (PMS) sales in naira, a development that has sparked concern among marketers and raised new questions about fuel pricing and foreign exchange stability.
In a notice sent to customers at 6:42 pm on Friday, the refinery stated that the suspension would take effect from Sunday, September 28, 2025, due to the exhaustion of its crude-for-naira allocation.
The notification, issued by the Group Commercial Operations of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, was titled:
“Suspension of DPRP PMS Naira Sales, Effective 28th September 2025.”
According to the statement, the refinery has exceeded its naira-based crude allocation and can no longer continue petrol sales in the local currency.
“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,” the statement read.
“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.”
The company also advised customers with ongoing naira-based transactions to request refunds:
“All customers with PMS transactions in Naira who would like a refund of their current payments should formally request the processing of their refund.”
The announcement comes amid escalating tensions at the refinery over alleged labour rights violations.
Over 800 Nigerian workers were reportedly laid off, drawing sharp criticism from labour unions and prompting calls for urgent government intervention.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Friday accused the company of engaging in anti-labour practices, describing the mass sackings as both “unjust and insensitive.”
Union leaders have vowed to resist the move and are threatening nationwide protests if the issue is not addressed promptly.
This is not the first time Dangote Refinery has suspended local currency transactions. A similar move occurred in March 2025, when the refinery halted naira-based sales due to insufficient crude supply under the crude-for-naira programme.
That decision pushed petrol prices toward ₦1,000 per litre, triggering fears of increased dollarisation in the fuel market.
With the current suspension, industry analysts are warning of another possible spike in pump prices if the trend continues.
According to Jeremiah Olatide, CEO of Petroleumprice.ng, “Petrol prices could rise above ₦900 per litre if naira-based sales remain suspended. The Dangote Refinery has played a key role in keeping prices relatively stable. Any prolonged shift to dollar-denominated sales could create serious volatility in the downstream sector.”
The twin crises, suspension of naira sales and labour unrest, pose a threat to the government’s ongoing fuel market reform agenda.
The refinery, considered a cornerstone of Nigeria’s energy security strategy, is now under increased scrutiny from stakeholders.
Observers warn that unless swift action is taken to resolve the issues, both fuel pricing and industrial relations in the oil sector may face prolonged instability.
