A significant shipping crisis has delayed the arrival of Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s planned fleet of 3,550 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks. As of mid-August 2025, only 450 trucks have been delivered to the refinery. The delay is attributed to a shortage of available vessels capable of transporting the trucks from China to Nigeria .

Despite the setbacks, Dangote Industries remains committed to its ambitious logistics overhaul. The company plans to receive at least 60 shiploads of trucks over the next six weeks, aiming to deploy the full 4,000-vehicle fleet by the end of September .

This initiative is part of Dangote’s broader strategy to modernize Nigeria’s fuel distribution network, reduce logistics costs, and enhance supply efficiency nationwide. The project is expected to save Nigerians over ₦1.7 trillion annually in fuel distribution expenses and create more than 15,000 direct jobs across the logistics value chain .

The refinery, operating at approximately 85% of its 650,000 barrels-per-day capacity, anticipates that the full deployment of the CNG-powered fleet will significantly reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions, aligning with global energy transition trends.