Dangote Refinery Resumes Petrol Sales in Naira after Last-Minute Government Intervention

Lagos-Nigeria: Nigeria’s largest industrial project, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has resumed selling petrol in naira after an unexpected suspension that sent ripples through the country’s energy and financial sectors. The turnaround followed a swift intervention by the government-backed Naira-for-Crude Technical Committee, underscoring the fragile balance between private enterprise and state policy in Africa’s largest economy.

The announcement came in a memo to fuel marketers on Saturday, reversing an earlier notice that petrol sales in the local currency would be halted indefinitely from September 28, 2025. “Following the intervention of the Naira-for-Crude Technical Committee Chairman, we are pleased to inform you of the resumption of PMS sales in naira commencing immediately,” the refinery stated.

For weeks, concerns had been mounting over how the refinery would reconcile its dollar-heavy crude supply arrangements with the government’s push to keep fuel affordable for local buyers. On Friday, the company had warned that its naira allocation for crude purchases was “exhausted,” forcing it to pivot to foreign exchange transactions.