The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has suspended the sale of petrol in naira with effect from Sunday, September 28, 2025, raising fresh concerns over fuel pricing, forex stability, and industrial unrest.
In a notice to customers at 6:42 pm on Friday, signed by the Group Commercial Operations of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, the company declared that it had exhausted its crude-for-naira allocation and could no longer sustain local currency transactions.
The statement, titled “Suspension of DPRP PMS Naira Sales – Effective 28th September 2025”, directed customers with ongoing naira-based transactions to immediately request refunds.
It read partly: “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 will be effective from Sunday, 28th September, 2025. Customers who wish to process refunds should apply immediately.”
This development coincides with a fierce labour dispute, after the refinery reportedly sacked over 800 Nigerian workers, drawing condemnation from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.
The union, in a statement on Friday, accused the refinery of “anti-labour practices” and vowed to mobilise nationwide solidarity actions. “We will not allow this unjust and insensitive corporate decision to stand,” union leaders declared.
Mr Jeremiah Olatide, Chief Executive Officer of Petroleumprice.ng, warned: “Petrol prices may rise above N900 per litre if dollar transactions dominate. The Dangote Refinery had been instrumental in keeping prices relatively lower in recent months.”
The refinery had earlier halted local currency transactions in March 2025, a move that triggered a sharp rise in petrol costs and public outrage over creeping dollarisation of fuel sales.