Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals (DPRP) has said reports that it imports finished petroleum products such as petrol and diesel are false and misleading, company officials said at a media briefing in Lagos.

The refinery’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, David Bird, said the company does not import finished petroleum products into Nigeria and that claims to the contrary are based on misunderstanding of global refinery operations.

Bird explained that the refinery processes intermediate or semi‑processed materials, such as naphtha, straight‑run gas oil, vacuum gas oil (VGO), reformate, alkylate and isomerate, which are used as feedstock for further refining into finished fuels like petrol and diesel. He said this is a standard practice in the global refining industry.

He said DPRP is a large‑scale merchant refinery that refines crude oil and intermediate feedstocks into premium petroleum products and petrochemicals that meet international quality and environmental standards.

Bird added that semi‑finished fuels are not suitable for vehicles and are not released into the Nigerian market.

Bird said the refinery produces lead‑free gasoline with 50 parts per million sulphur and ultra‑low sulphur diesel, and that these specifications align with modern environmental and health benchmarks.

He said the refinery’s products are now also exported to international markets, reflecting their quality.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and urged the media to help educate the public on the distinction between intermediate feedstocks and finished petroleum products.

It also highlighted the refinery’s role in providing high‑quality fuels and contributing to fuel availability and foreign exchange stability.