Dangote Refinery stopped selling PMS based in Naira as a concern for forex reappear

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has suspended the sale of gasoline in Naira, a development that has troubled fuel marketers and restores concerns over the price and pressure of foreign exchange in the downstream sector.

In an email to customers on Friday, the refinery announced that the suspension will be valid starting Sunday, September 28, 2025, linking the decision with the fatigue of rough-to-Nira allocation.

Circular, issued by the commercial operation of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals group, entitled “Suspension of Sales of DPRP PMS Naira, Effective September 28, 2025.”

“We write to tell you that Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals have sold more petroleum products than our Naira-Crude allocation and, as a result, we cannot maintain PMS sales in Naira going forward,” the statement said.

“Please note that the suspension of Naira’s sales for PMS will be effective starting Sunday, September 28, 2025. We will provide further updates regarding the start of supply after the situation has been completed.” The company recommends customers with ongoing Naira -based transactions to send formal requests for refund.

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The announcement coincided with the ongoing labor dispute at the refinery. On Friday, the Nigerian Senior Siny and Gas Staff Association accused the company as a “anti-employment practice” following allegations of dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers.

The union leaders vowed to reject what they described as “an unfair and insensitive company decision,” threatening national solidarity if the problem remains unresolved.

This is not the first time the refinery has suspended local currency transactions. In March 2025, Dangote temporarily stopped the sale of fuel based in Naira, citing inadequate allocation under the raw-Naira program. The suspension triggered fears of fuel dollars and saw the price of pumps rising to almost N1,000 per liter.

With the refinery considered as the Nigerian energy security center, stakeholders warn that the combination of the sales of naira that was suspended and intensified the workforce riots could damage the government’s efforts to stabilize the petroleum market under the ongoing reform agenda.