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IIR reports that Nigeria's Dangote Refinery gasoline unit may be closed for two to three months.

IIR Energy, a company that monitors the industry, told its clients on Thursday that repairs may cause the gasoline unit of Nigeria's Dangote refinery, which produces 650,000 barrels per day, to be closed for 2-3 months. This could result in a tighter market for gasoline.

The unit was shut down around August 29 due to catalyst leaks. IIR Energy stated that the refinery intends to try to restart the Residue-Fluidized Catalytic Crushing Unit (RFCCU), which produces 204,000 bpd, on September 20, although major repairs and replacement of equipment could keep the unit closed for months.

First reported on Wednesday, Dangote’s RFCCU is expected to close for at least two week.

Dangote didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.

A gasoline dealer said that the market for motor fuel is already strong.

The trader stated, "This only adds fuel to a fire."

The U.S. futures crack spread LSEG data shows that the profit margins for Northwest European gasoline have risen by around 23%, reaching $19.31 on Wednesday, their highest level since late June.

Philip Jones-Lux is a senior analyst with Sparta Commodities. He noted that the current and future outages will be enough to offset seasonal demand declines.

Dangote's refinery, which started processing crude in 2024, significantly reduced the Europe-West gasoline export trade. According to Kpler, EU and UK gasoline imports to Nigeria dropped from an average of 200,000 bpd per year in 2024 to 120,000 bpd during the first half this year.

The plant has also sent two cargoes of gasoline to the U.S. East Coast. They are expected to arrive later this month in the New York region. This is a significant milestone, as observers had been closely watching to see if the plant could produce fuel that met U.S. Standards.

(source: Reuters)