3 Best-Performing Refineries in Nigeria Outside Dangote Refinery

Dangote Refinery has changed Nigeria’s refining conversation in a big way. In December 2025 alone, regulator data shows its domestic petrol (PMS) supply averaged 32.012 million litres per day, up from 19.47 million litres per day in November.

But outside Dangote, Nigeria’s modular refineries are still contributing mostly through diesel (AGO), even if the numbers remain small compared to national demand.

According to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) December 2025 factsheet, only three modular refineries produced automotive gas oil (diesel) in December 2025: ARADEL, Edo Modular Refinery, and Waltersmith. 

Together, they delivered 0.392 million litres of AGO per day, a modest slice of Nigeria’s daily diesel needs.

Here are the three best-performing refineries outside Dangote, based on their recorded output and capacity utilisation in December 2025.

ARADEL Modular Refinery (Ogbele, Rivers State)

ARADEL’s plant in Ogbele, Rivers is the clear volume leader among modular refineries for diesel production.

With an installed capacity of 11,000 barrels per day, ARADEL posted an average capacity utilisation of 53.89% in December 2025. Even with that mid-range utilisation, it still produced the largest diesel volume, about 0.289 million litres of AGO per day, which is over 70% of total modular refinery diesel output for the month.

Why this matters: ARADEL is currently the strongest “steady producer” in the modular space, its output makes it the most visible non-Dangote domestic contributor in the diesel segment.

Edo Modular Refinery (Ologbo, Edo State)

Edo Modular Refinery (EMR), located in Ologbo, Edo, stood out for one key reason: efficiency.

The plant has a capacity of 6,000 barrels per day, and in December 2025 it recorded the highest utilisation rate among modular refiners at 85.43%. Output was about 0.052 million litres of AGO per day.

Why this matters: EMR is the best example of “high utilisation, smaller scale.” It ran hard, but its overall contribution stayed limited because the facility is relatively small.

Waltersmith Modular Refinery (Ibigwe, Imo State)

Waltersmith’s refinery in Ibigwe, Imo State is another consistent name in Nigeria’s modular refining story, though December 2025 came with operational limits.

With a capacity of 5,000 barrels per day, Waltersmith produced about 0.051 million litres of AGO per day in December 2025 and recorded 63.24% utilisation. Production was reportedly constrained because only Train 1 was operational for part of the month, with work ongoing around Train 2.

Why this matters: Waltersmith’s performance shows the biggest modular challenge: even when the plant works, expansions and commissioning timelines can cap how much product reaches the market.

What you should know

Even with these three refineries running, NMDPRA-linked reporting indicates their combined output of 0.392 million litres/day still represents only a small share of Nigeria’s diesel consumption (figures are commonly presented as low single digits).

That is the core reality: outside Dangote, performance is improving, but scale is still the missing piece.

What to watch next

If Nigeria wants these refineries to matter more, two things will decide the next chapter:

1. Capacity expansion and faster commissioning (more trains coming online, fewer downtime days).
   
2. Stable crude supply and predictable regulation, so operators can plan production consistently.
   

Dangote is already moving the needle on petrol supply in a way no other refinery currently matches.

But in diesel, these three modular plants are the clearest proof that local refining beyond Dangote is active and can grow if the right constraints are removed.