Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced plans to supply one billion five hundred million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) monthly to the Nigerian market in December 2025 and January 2026, a move aimed at ensuring uninterrupted nationwide fuel availability through the festive season and into the New Year.

President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, disclosed the plans at the weekend, noting that the refinery will make available 50 million litres of PMS daily beginning December 1.

“In line with our commitment to national well-being, and consistent with our track record of ensuring a holiday season free of fuel scarcity, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will supply 1.5 billion litres of PMS to the Nigerian market this month. This represents 50 million litres per day. We are formally notifying the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of this commitment. We will supply another 1.5 billion litres in January and increase to 1.7 billion litres in February, which translates to about 60 million litres per day,” Dangote said.

Speaking during a visit by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to the refinery and the Dangote Fertilizer complex, he stated that the facility currently has adequate stock and is producing between 40 and 45 million litres of PMS daily. He added that the daily supply of 50 million litres should dispel long-standing claims that domestic refineries lack the capacity to meet national demand.

Dangote also revealed ongoing engagement with petroleum marketers to strengthen distribution systems, including expanding the use of CNG-powered haulage.

“Our priority is to ensure Nigeria receives the products it needs. This is not driven by profit motives; it is about guaranteeing the availability of essential energy products. It is similar to the transformation we delivered in the cement sector,” he added.

He further noted that the refinery is progressing with its expansion plan to reach a capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day. More than 100,000 workers are expected to be involved in the expansion of both the refinery and the fertilizer complex. Dangote emphasized that the Group remains committed to its vision, driven by the strong public support for the company’s role in shaping Nigeria’s economic development.

During the visit, the Managing Director of SSDC, Usoro Offiong Akpabio, commended Dangote’s leadership and his continued contribution to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial capability, national energy security and long-term economic competitiveness.

She described the South-South region as Nigeria’s natural energy corridor, with vast crude oil reserves, gas infrastructure, maritime assets, agro-industrial activity and emerging industrial clusters. She noted that deeper collaboration between the region and the Dangote Group could unlock opportunities in product distribution, CNG infrastructure, petrochemicals, agriculture, and employment creation.

Akpabio added that such partnerships would advance the Federal Government’s energy stability agenda and position the South-South as a strategic growth hub for the Dangote Group.

“As the statutory development body for the South-South, SSDC is mandated to drive regional economic development, infrastructure integration, human capital advancement, and private-sector-led–led growth. In this regard, we stand prepared to support State-level policy and regulatory support for Ease-of-doing-business across our six states. Enabling environments for Dangote Group’s expansion into strategic sectors such as gas processing, agro-industrial value chains, renewable energy, logistics, and export-oriented manufacturing,” she said.

In a letter from the refinery’s Managing Director, David Bird, to the Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, the company reaffirmed its readiness to host NMDPRA officials onsite at the refinery from December 1st to verify and publish its daily supply volumes. The refinery also sought the Authority’s support to ensure unhindered importation of crude, feedstocks and blending components, as well as smooth vessel loading for product evacuation.

“In the spirit of full transparency to the public we are willing to publish our daily production and stock volumes (online and print media),” Bird stated. “We seek the full support of NMDPRA to allow Dangote refinery to import our crude, feedstocks and blending components unhindered as well as support the lifting of our products by vessel. We continue to experience delays in vessel clearance which impacts not only the refinery operations but also our customers, adding unnecessary costs and inefficiencies”.

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed suggestions that he may run as a vice-presidential candidate with the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, or be part of any joint presidential ticket in the 2027 elections.

Amaechi declared that he is running for the presidency and will not be a running mate to anybody.

His statement comes after Atiku’s political ally and media entrepreneur, Dele Momodu, suggested that Atiku might consider the former Rivers State governor should the 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi declines to run with him.

Momodu, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said, “A lot of people are underrating Amaechi. Amaechi single-handedly handed power to Buhari. What the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is doing now, though in an unruly manner, Amaechi did quite well when he was governor of Rivers State. Amaechi mobilised more than any other person for Buhari, even more than Tinubu. If Obi does not make up his mind or chooses to run alone, then I believe the mantle might fall on Rotimi Amaechi.”

Responding through his media aide, David Iyofor, Amaechi insisted that his ambition is solely to become the President of the country and not Vice President.

Amaechi distanced himself from any alliance aimed at making him a running mate.

‎”Amaechi is not seeking to be a running mate to anybody. He does not intend to be a presidential running mate to anybody and will not,” Iyofor said.

‎He added that Amaechi believes it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the next president and is therefore pursuing the presidential ticket of the ADC.

‎”Amaechi is not aware of, and will not be part of any talk to be running mate to anybody. For emphasis, Amaechi is running to be President of Nigeria and not to be a running mate to anybody.

‎”Politicians are kindly advised to leave Amaechi’s name out of any discussion for presidential running mate,” Iyofor added.

‎Amaechi, who contested the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket in 2023, defected to the ADC earlier this year and has since declared his intention to seek the party’s nomination for the 2027 election.

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled a social media drug network responsible for the distribution of illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks in the Lekki area of Lagos state.

Disclosing this in a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said two individuals suspected to be the masterminds behind the operation were arrested in Lagos.

“Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks, with two masterminds arrested and taken into custody after a raid on their hideout in the Lekki area of Lagos,” the statement read.

“The drug syndicate run by the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, and a variety of colourful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.

“Following credible intelligence about the activities of the syndicate which operates and distributes through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 22nd November 2025, raided their apartment at Ojulari street, Ikate area of Lekki, where a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kilograms of Loud were recovered from them at the point of their arrest.”

In a separate operation in Lagos, operatives arrested 38-year-old drug kingpin, Philip Ucheka, in Ladipo, Mushin, while he was taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg. Three delivery vehicles used for distribution were also impounded.

The statement added, “In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, 27th November arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin, Philip Ucheka, while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at the Ladipo area of Mushin. At the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him.

At a courier company also in the state, officers intercepted 100 grams of Loud concealed inside a teddy bear imported from Thailand, while 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in Vitamin C and Magnesium bottles bound for the United Kingdom were seized from a logistics firm.

“At a courier company in Lagos, 100grams of Loud concealed in a teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on Thursday, 27th November, while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day, Friday, 28th November,” Babafemi stated.

In Oyo State, officers arrested 55-year-old Wasiu Kareem with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine, 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 Co-codamol pills, and 9,900 tramadol capsules.