Lagos slows in the evening haze. Engines cough, headlights struggle through the thickening dusk, and people, whether in cars or homes, breathe in an invisible danger.
In October 2025, an explosive claim stirred nationalist fury: that petrol imported by Dangote Refinery from the UK contains sulphur levels more than 13 times above Nigeria’s allowed standard.
The air may not show the poison, but health experts warn countless lungs already feel it — children, elderly folks, people with asthma.
This is not a small trade dispute or a technical quibble. If true, it means Daily lives, health, vehicle engines — even the integrity of Nigeria’s environmental regulations — are under siege. And with public trust already fragile in the energy sector, the stakes are deadly high.
What the Allegations Say
The core of the controversy comes from a leaked document via SaharaReporters, citing a certificate of quality from Phillips 66 Limited in the UK.
Key claims include:
A ~37,000 metric-tonne shipment of petrol (Premium Motor Spirit, PMS), load from Phillips 66’s refinery in Immingham, showing sulphur content of 690 parts per million (ppm). That’s nearly 14× higher than Nigeria’s 50 ppm legal limit.
The product was allegedly shipped aboard the MT Clearocean Mary, set to arrive through Dangote Depots. The next phase, critics claim, is blending or distributing it as “locally refined” petrol — a mislabeling risk.
A major failure is alleged in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit at the refinery, which if properly functioning, helps to reduce high sulphur content.
The document claims this unit was “not currently operational,” undermining capacity to refine crude to required quality.
Response & Denials — What Dangote, Regulators Say
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has forcefully denied that private depots are importing fuel outside regulation. They assert that market operators follow rules set by NMDPRA.
NMDPRA (the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority) similarly rejects claims of “dirty fuel” importation, insisting imports have trended down in sulphur content and now mostly comply with the 50 ppm standard, though parts of the timeline are murky.
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Dangote, in earlier statements, has accused the regulator of allowing “dirty” fuel imports by marketers, saying these undermine both public health and the competitive landscape for local refining.
Between Profit and Poison
If allegations are true, the decision to allow or distribute petrol with 690 ppm sulphur isn’t just an industrial oversight — it’s a public betrayal.
When a company touts itself as meeting international standards but allegedly distributes fuel far below them, we must ask who pays the cost? It’s not boardrooms — it’s lungs, wallets, engines, environment.
Dangote is viewed as a symbol of Nigeria’s energy dawn — the refinery built to end petrol import dependence. One misstep — or alleged misstep — could dim that light.
It’s imperative regulators act swiftly, transparently, and enforce standards. Because clean fuel is more than fuel. In a country with smog-choked cities and public health under pressure, it’s dignity.
